Plan Democracia: How is the vote protected in Colombia? - Worldwide Elections

From the 25th to the 29th of August, the National Registry and the General Procuratorate of the Nation hold a meeting to review the Democracy Plan, an electoral security plan for the government of Colombia. 

El Plan Democracia, is a special electoral security plan led by Fuerzas Militares and the National Police, with the support of other state entities to protect voters and guarantee that elections take place without violence or fraud.

In Colombia, elections of Youth Councils will be held on the 19th of October, party consultations on the 26th and in March of the next year, the General elections.

The plan includes activities such as: deployment of thousands of police and soldiers throughout the country, especially in risk areas. Protection for threatened candidates with a high risk profile. Support for voting jurors, Registration officials and international observers. Surveillance of voting stations and transport of electoral material. Intelligence operations to prevent crimes against the voter, the purchase of votes or the alteration of results. Channels to report electoral crimes, such as threats, fraud or corruption among others.

The organs that participate in this operation are: the National Registry, (which organizes elections), the National Electoral Council, (which monitors the legality of the process), the Interior Ministry (which coordinates actions at national and regional level), the General Fiscalía, (which investigates electoral crimes) and the Pueblo Defensoría and Procuraduría, (which monitors it respect for rights and public ethics).

In recent years, especially during local and regional elections, a worrying increase in political violence has been recorded. Threatened candidates, campaign attacks, and in the worst cases, assassinations of candidates for public office. According to official figures, in several recent rallies more than 20 candidates were assassinated during the electoral period.

The Democracy Plan is a key tool to protect the free vote in Colombia. Even though it does not solve all the problems of political violence, it provides an essential security structure so that citizens can participate in elections with greater peace of mind.