E-mails and social media posts in circulation since Monday afternoon, presenting partial presidential election results, are false said Colombia’s Foreign Affairs ministry on Wednesday.
A statement from Ministry says they are aware of messages circulating on social networks as well as emails informing about alleged partial results for the electoral process for the Colombians living abroad.
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“We obtained information that the revelation of the partial results of the elections have used names of consulates of Colombia, giving the perception that the information came from these [official sources].” -Foreign Affairs Ministry |
The Ministry notes that even though this information has been taken up by some media it has not been provided by officials and should therefore not be considered official information.
“We obtained information that the revelation of the partial results of the elections have used names of consulates of Colombia, giving the perception that the information came from these [official sources],” said Alvaro Calderon, director of Consular Affairs Chancery according to El Tiempo.
He underlined, that there “has not been revealed partial data by consular officials”.
According to El Tiempo the messages allegedly circulated on Twitter.
On his Twitter acoount the supporter of the Uribe Centro-democratico [Democratic Center] Senator Juan Carlos Velez wrote partial election results allegedly from the Japanese consulate in Colombia.
Consulado deTOKIO(Japón)resultados: @OIZuluaga 71% @claralopezobre 10% V.B 10% @juanmansantos 9% @mluciaramirez 0% @EnriquePenalosa 0%
— Juan Carlos Vélez U. (@jcvelezuribe) 19. maj 2014
“In the interests of transparency and preservation of the normal development of the elections,” the Foreign Ministry calls on the political parties to support surveillance to preserve the character of discretion and confidentiality of the data, that are reported to the National Registry Office, in the week, before the polling stations opens in Colombia,when voting abroad is possible.
MORE: 1st complaint comes in after Colombians abroad begin voting
According to the ministry the National Civil Registry is the only competent authority to publish and disseminate the results once the voting is completed on Sunday May 25 at 4 PM.
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.
MORE: Early presidential voting opens for Colombians living abroad
The electoral process abroad began on Monday.
According to the country’s National Civil Registry 559.952 Colombians living across the world are eligible to vote in the week leading up to the country’s May 25 presidential elections and choose the person who will be in charge of the country from August and until 2018. They can do this at the nearly 2,000 polling stations spread out across 64 countries.
Sources
- Comunicado de prensa sobre las elecciones en el exterior (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Este Lunes 19 De Mayo Inician Las Votaciones Para Los Colombianos Residentes En El Exterior Para La Elección Presidencial (Registraduria Nacional del Estado Civil)
- ‘Funcionarios consulares no filtraron información sobre elecciones’ (El Tiempo)
