Colombian Presidential Candidate Urges Prosecutors to Investigate Alleged Voter Coercion
De la Espriella says Cepeda won more than 70% of the vote in 109 municipalities with active illegal armed groups.
- Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo Espriella urged prosecutors on Tuesday to investigate whether rebel groups coerced voters in remote municipalities into supporting governing party candidate Sen. Cepeda during the May 31 first-round election.
- Espriella's campaign alleged that Cepeda secured more than 70% of the vote across 109 municipalities with active illegal armed groups, reaching as high as 97% in some locations, prompting the investigation request.
- A European Union electoral observation mission reported receiving complaints from voters who said they were pressured by "government officials and illegal armed groups," though the mission did not specify which candidate voters were coerced to support.
- Following an endorsement from President Donald Trump, who praised Espriella as a "Smart, Strong and Tough Leader," President Gustavo Petro replied that "freedom dies" when one country intervenes in another's affairs.
- The candidates will face off in a runoff election on June 21, where voters must choose between Espriella's promise to cancel peace talks and Cepeda's plan to continue negotiations with rebel groups.
14 Articles
14 Articles
BOGOTÁ (AP) — Colombian conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella on Tuesday asked the prosecution to investigate the alleged pressure of illegal armed groups during the first presidential round in a hundred municipalities where the...
Associated Press News
Colombian presidential candidate urges prosecutors to investigate alleged voter coercion
Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella is urging prosecutors to investigate possible voter coercion by rebel groups in favor of governing party candidate Iván Cepeda.
Colombian conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella denounced today an alleged pressure from armed groups in areas of Colombia where he won his opponent Ivan Cepeda. "The so-called 'gun vote' describes a practice incompatible with any democracy: to force citizens to vote under threat, armed pressure or territorial subjugation," De la Espriella said in a statement.
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