Colombia’s diaspora took to the polls Monday to cast their presidential ballot, with so far just one reported hiccup in Miami where election propaganda was found in the vicinity of the booths.
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The first day of week long voting for Colombia’s presidential elections for those living abroad began largely as planned in over 60 countries around the world.
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The one reported incident so far involved a voting station in Miami, where there was allegedly publicity for President Juan Manuel Santos’ U Party. Such publicity in or around polling stations is strictly prohibited.
Alvaro Calderon, director of Migration Matters, Consulates, and Citizen Services for Colombia’s Foreign Ministry, assured local media that the complaint had been formally filed with the ministry. He also noted that the Office of Electoral Support within the Foreign Ministry would be available to receive complaints 24 hours a day.
In an official press conference, Calderon mentioned that representatives from international bodies such as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Organization of American States (OAS) and Colombia’s Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) were monitoring the elections abroad with the help of various embassies.
Other than that, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that operations were going smoothly, and that by 10AM on Monday, polling stations in 38 countries had already begun sending votes back to Colombia.
Approximately 546,000 Colombians living across the world are eligible to vote the week leading up to the country’s May 25 presidential elections, with nearly 2,000 polling stations spread out across 64 countries.