First modification:
From 8 in the morning local time, the polls opened in Colombia for the legislative elections in which around 38 million citizens are called to vote. Citizens elect new representatives to the Chamber and senators to renew the Congress for the next four years. In addition, three political coalitions choose their candidates for the presidential elections in May.
Colombia begins the renewal of its legislative authorities and defines its candidates for the election of a new president on May 29.
This March 13, from 8 am, local time, and until 4 pm, the entire Colombian territory keeps the polls open to elect 108 senators and 188 representatives to the Chamber.
For the first time there will be 16 special seats reserved in the House of Representatives for victims of the armed conflict, following the decree signed by President Iván Duque on October 7, 2021, within the framework of the Peace Agreement reached between the Government and the former guerrilla of the FARC, in 2016.
On the other hand, three large political coalitions have this election day to choose their presidential candidate at the polls: the Team for Colombia, from the right; the leftist Historical Pact and the Hope Center Coalition.
These are the most important news of the day:
- 9:15 (BOG) Fajardo, candidate of the Centro Esperanza Coalition casts his vote
Sergio Fajardo, former governor of the Department of Antioquia and candidate for the Presidency for the Centro Esperanza Coalition, exercised his right to vote and made a call to support his political alliance, which he pointed out is a first step to end corruption in the country.
Today is a crucial day for our country. I invite you to vote for our project. The first step to end corruption is to vote freely, en masse. Today the change begins. pic.twitter.com/4VqfsehzEn
– Sergio Fajardo (@sergio_fajardo) March 13, 2022
- 8:30 (BOG) After voting, President Iván Duque asked to cast a vote “conscientiously and without pressure”
Colombian President Iván Duque voted in front of the National Capitol in Bogotá, which officially opened the day.
After casting his vote, Duque delivered a few words of thanks and invited citizens to vote with conviction and independence.
“Vote conscientiously, with your hand on your heart and without pressure. Without anyone trying to interfere in that free decision. That we reject and denounce, if someone wants to coerce that right,” emphasized the head of state.
Duque also appealed for massive citizen participation: “Today we are celebrating the fact that we are one of the oldest and most stable democracies in this hemisphere and we want citizens to turn out en masse to elect the Congress of the Republic and the election of presidential candidates from the different coalitions.
- 8:00 (BOG) Colombia opens the polls for its legislative elections
The polling stations throughout the country opened the polls for the legislative elections, in which 110,000 voting tables are set up in 12,026 positions throughout the country.
Abroad, the elections opened last Monday, March 7, and they also close this Sunday.
108 senators and 188 representatives to the Chamber must be elected to renew the country’s Congress for the next four years.
In addition, in an unprecedented event, the citizens who live in the rural areas hardest hit by the armed conflict will be able to choose who will occupy 16 seats in the Lower House reserved for people who are victims of the internal war, called “seats for peace”.
This election takes place in the Special Transitory Circumscriptions of Peace, provided for in the agreement signed between the Government and the FARC, and encompass the 167 municipalities hardest hit by the conflict, distributed in 18 of the 32 Colombian departments.
On the other hand, citizens vote for who will be the candidate for the presidential elections from three coalitions of center, left and right. Those elections are scheduled for May 29.
With EFE and local media
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