For the first time in Colombia’s history, an election will have more than 1,200 international observers. All of them arrived at the invitation of the electoral authorities in an effort to provide guarantees of transparency for the election day that will take place this Sunday, May 31.
In the 2022 presidential elections, 372 international observers arrived in Colombia, which means that by 2026 their presence has nearly tripled. The purpose of the electoral organization (the National Civil Registry Office and the National Electoral Council – CNE) is also to counter the narrative of President Gustavo Petro, who for months has been speaking about electoral fraud, which has even raised concerns that he may not recognize the results of this Sunday’s vote.
Observers come from 22 countries
The welcome ceremony for the 1,207 international observers took place this Friday in Bogota, at 8:30 a.m., in the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Together, they represent 26 international organizations and missions, including the Organization of American States (OAS), the European Union, the Carter Center, International IDEA, and Electoral Transparency, as well as several Colombian electoral experts such as the president of the CNE, Magistrate Cristian Quiroz.
They come from 22 countries specifically to accompany the development of the presidential elections. They will travel throughout different regions of Colombia on technical missions and electoral observation deployments. The mission seeks to strengthen the legitimacy, transparency, and public confidence in Colombia’s democratic process.
One of the first departments to report the arrival of international observers was Valle del Cauca. Governor Dilian Francisca Toro provided them with assurances regarding the democratic environment and the security measures put in place to guarantee the elections. “Here we support the elections in all logistical and security aspects, especially in the areas that need it most, above all in Buenaventura where logistics require boats and everything is more complex,” she said.
At the meeting, the international observers highlighted the importance of the Colombian elections within the Latin American context. “At this moment, I believe that of the three elections taking place this year, Peru, Brazil, and Colombia, this one becomes the center of attention because it has been a very competitive election. For us, being here in Cali is a true pleasure to celebrate this democratic festival with you,” said Nidia Paulino Valdez, an electoral observer from the Dominican Republic.
For his part, Italian observer Antonio Valerio stated: “I have participated in many processes throughout Latin America, and I am delighted to be able to accompany the Colombian people in this celebration of democracy.”
Guarantee of integrity and transparency
The importance of international observation lies in the fact that it serves as an impartial third party, with significant moral authority, without interfering in the process. It is simply observation carried out by a wide diversity of people who offer different perspectives and viewpoints that will help guarantee the integrity and transparency of the elections.
The observers, who on Friday received context and an overview of the country’s situation through conferences by experts and authorities, will visit vote-counting centers on Saturday and monitor how the vote tallying process will be conducted. On Sunday they will visit polling places and voting tables, and finally they will be present during the count when the results are announced.
Amid warnings about risks associated with disinformation, fake news, and pressures that may affect the free exercise of voting, international observation is one of the mechanisms through which electoral authorities seek to reinforce guarantees for the first-round election day.
The academic and technical agenda organized by the CNE will include sessions on electoral integrity, international observation, and technology applied to the Colombian electoral system. In addition, 30 international experts will participate in the review and technical analysis of the electoral software prepared for the presidential elections.
During the event, international cooperation agreements will also be signed between the CNE and organizations such as the Association of Women Electoral Magistrates of the Americas (AMEA), International IDEA, and the Electoral Tribunal of Mexico City.