The prestigious Carter Center, which has monitored more than 100 elections in 38 countries since 1989, announced that it will send an internationalial mission of experts to observe the electoral process in Colombia that will take place next May 31 to elect (first round) the president of the country.
In Latin America, one of its most remembered actions was the one that took place in Venezuela during the presidential elections of July 28, 2024. On that occasion, it was the first to assure that those elections “did not comply with international standards of electoral integrity” and, therefore, “cannot be considered democratic.”
Arrival of the Carter Center is a message of guarantee
The opinions of this non-governmental organization have worldwide recognition due, among other things, to the fact that it has established standard techniques that today are common in the field. Its missions are known for their impartiality and technical rigor, since they play a fundamental role in evaluating the legitimacy of democratic processes, with a prominent role in Latin America.
The announcement of the arrival of the Carter Center mission in Colombia is a message of additional guarantee to those already given by the Electoral Organization (National Registry of Civil Status and National Electoral Council) for the presidential elections, especially because of political polarization, and particularly in light of the permanent statements by President Gustavo Petro and several of his officials claiming that there is a risk of electoral fraud.
The Carter Center confirmed that its delegation of electoral specialists will remain in the country during the presidential first round on May 31 and a possible second round scheduled for June 21. The mission will be headed by Jennie Lincoln, senior adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Carter Center, and will include experts from Spain, Germany, Denmark, Brazil and the United States.
Because for this non-governmental organization democratic transitions imply much more than simply holding elections, it also carries out long-term monitoring of political transitions, so its work is expected to conclude long after even a possible presidential second round.
The arrival of the international mission comes at a moment of high political sensitivity, marked by questions surrounding electoral guarantees, accusations of disinformation, alteration of systems, and warnings from different sectors about the need to shield the transparency of the process.
Carter Center was invited by electoral authorities
“We hope that our presence and our report help Colombians evaluate the credibility of the elections and contribute to the transparency of the electoral process,” adviser Lincoln stated.
Although the mission will visit some polling stations on election day, the Carter Center clarified that it will not carry out a comprehensive observation of the entire electoral day. Its work will be focused mainly on evaluating legal, administrative and technical aspects of the process.
The organization stated that the experts will especially analyze the recommendations and reforms promoted after the 2022 presidential elections, a process that left multiple debates about the Colombian electoral system.
The mission was formally invited by Colombian electoral authorities since July 2025. Subsequently, a delegation made a pre-electoral visit last November to evaluate the conditions of the process and define the scope of the observation.
During their stay in Colombia, the experts will hold meetings with the National Registry Office, the CNE, presidential campaigns, political parties, civil society organizations, media outlets, and national and international observers.
At the end of the elections, the Carter Center will prepare a report with findings and recommendations on the development of the Colombian electoral process. Its work will be based on international human rights standards and globally recognized democratic principles.