The Ombudsman’s office, the highest governmental human rights agency, has provided 2,700 staff to oversee and help out with the 2014 presidential elections on Sunday, according to a press release.
Starting at 7am, the 36 divisions of Colombia’s Ombudsman’s office with presence in all 32 states, were present at 1,850 voting booths. There are 10,425 total voting booths in the country, according to Colombia’s National Registry.
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Colombia’s Ombudsman, Jorge Armando Otalora Gomez, invited Colombians to exercise their right to vote. “As a public ministry, the Ombudsman’s Office will attempt to be present all over the country, guaranteeing that all citizens can freely and calmly exercise their fundamental right to vote,” said Otalora Gomez.
The press release also added that the 153 electoral complaints received so far by Agency for Electoral Transparency (URIEL) have been adequately dealt with and forwarded to the appropriate authorities.
The reported electoral complaints are already 13 fewer than the beginning of the first round, according to Colombia’s Ombudsman.
MORE: 80 reports of electoral irregularities during morning of Colombia’s pres elections: Electoral Watchdog
The 2,700 electoral observers of Colombia’s Ombudsman complement the 74 sent by the Organization of American States (OAS), the 35 sent by Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), and the 4,000 of the Electoral Observation Mission (MOE).
MORE: OAS to send 74 observers for Colombia’s presidential elections
Sunday’s second presidential round is between incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos and opposition candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.
MORE: Zuluaga vs Santos: The proposals
Sources
- 2.700 funcionarios de la Defensoría acompañan labores de control en elección presidencial (Defensoría del Pueblo)