Foreign observers fiercely criticized Colombia’s government over its meddling in the presidential elections.
In a report, the European Union’s Electoral Observation Mission (MOE EU) praised Sunday’s orderly first round of elections after congressional elections in March were marred by chaos.
Notwithstanding, the foreign observers blasted the role of the meddling in the elections by the government of the increasingly authoritarian President Ivan Duque.
Constitutional violations
Inspector General Margarita Cabello (Image: Twitter)
The MOE EU was particularly harsh about Inspector General Margarita Cabello, who suspended elected officials on election meddling allegations while taking no action in response to attacks on the opposition by the commander of the National Army.
The international observers confirmed that the inspector general violated “Colombia’s international obligations in terms of political rights” by suspending elected officials like progressive Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero.
The suspension — also temporary — of a popularly elected position by an administrative authority instead of a judge was considered a violation of article 23 of the American Convention on Human Rights by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in a binding sentence that condemned Colombia.
MOE EU
The foreign observers additionally criticized army General Eduardo Zapateiro, who “made public statements against” opposition Senator Gustavo Petro on Twitter after the frontrunner in the elections criticized the alleged corruption of the army chief and other members of the military command.
Despite this “blatant violation of article 219 of the Constitution and a decades-long tradition of non-interference by the Army in politics,” Cabello took no action to sanction Zapateiro, the MOE EU pointed out.
The foreign observers additionally expressed their concern about the unconstitutional suspension of electoral guarantees by the government coalition of the increasingly authoritarian President Ivan Duque.
Anti-opposition campaigning and aggression
Federico Gutierrez (Image: Twitter)
The MOE EU additionally noted that in 14% of the monitored campaign rallies, public officials were pressured to attend campaign rallies in support of defeated establishment candidate Federico Gutierrez.
Additionally, “multiple high-profile businessmen published messages not to vote for Petro” while corporate news media stigmatized the opposition candidate and his running mate, Francia Marquez, according to the MOE EU.
The foreign observers rejected death threats and other intimidation attempts that targeted Marquez, Colombia’s first black female vice-presidential candidate.
Petro’s opposition running-mate received three death threats from far-right group Aguilas Negras in March and was rushed off stage during a campaign rally earlier this month after she was targeted by a laser.
