Colombia’s Inspector General’s Office announced an investigation surrounding alleged illegal political participation by public officials during Sunday’s final round of presidential elections, national and international media reported on Monday.
The country’s Inspector General, Alejandro Ordoñez, expressed surprise and indignation towards the officials who had participated in political activities during Sunday’s elections, which is prohibited by the electoral norms, and said that the government watchdog would take the necessary disciplinary actions to punish the officials, Europa Press reported.
“The shameless intervention in politics by public officers is unlawful in the Colombian democracy,” Ordoñez said, adding that “the Inspector General’s Office will not turn a blind eye to this, owing that it is an open challenge to the state of law.”
During Colombia’s elections, won by incumbent president Juan Manuel Santos, the Inspector General’s Office received 141 complaints regarding possible electoral offenses and irregularities across Colombia.
According to the government watchdog, the majority of complaints were reported in the capital Bogota, the northern states of Atlantico and Cesar, and the central states of Magdalena and Antioquia. Colombia’s main electoral watchdog, the Electoral Observation Mission (MOE), reported nearly 200 complaints of electoral irregularities throughout the country.
MORE: 80 reports of electoral irregularities during morning of Colombia’s elections: Electoral Watchdog
Ordoñez lamented the fact that these types of electoral crimes have persevered in the country, adding that those who engage in this “do a disservice to democracy,” Caracol Radio reported.
President Santos won the election by garnering 50.03% of the total votes in comparison to the 45.13% obtained by his opponent, Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.
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