Cepeda supporters vigilantly monitor Colombia vote count amid fraud concerns

Hundreds of supporters for left-wing presidential candidate Iván Cepeda have gathered in Bogotá for a vigil, aiming to closely monitor the vote scrutiny process following a tightly contested election. The supporters are stationed at the Corferias exhibition center, where judges and notaries are meticulously examining ballots.

Following the preliminary count, which indicated a narrow victory for far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella with 12.9 million votes (49.66%) against Cepeda's 12.7 million (48.70%) with 99.91% of polling stations reporting, Cepeda's followers expressed their commitment to observing the official count. "We are in a vigil to defend what the people want," stated one supporter. "There have been multiple reports of possible and alleged violations of the electoral process, vote buying, and modifications to electoral records, and we want the judges of the republic to determine if that was the case."

After Cepeda addressed his supporters, many moved to Corferias. Amidst drumming and flutes, voters engaged in discussions and expressed their support for Cepeda and their discontent with the preliminary results. Cepeda himself affirmed that his movement respects democratic rules and acknowledges the preliminary count. However, he announced that his campaign's legal and electoral surveillance teams have initiated challenges against 33,000 voting tables nationwide.

"We are going to challenge 33,000 voting posts throughout the national territory, and that is what we, as citizens, are accompanying and monitoring," a supporter explained. Approximately 50 lawyers affiliated with the Pacto Histórico also arrived at Corferias to oversee the scrutiny, though they were unable to enter the main venue. Supporters emphasized that this mobilization was self-organized, not a direct request from the Pacto Histórico party.

Another supporter highlighted the potential impact of the scrutiny, recalling that "four years ago, more than 500,000 votes were recovered during the scrutiny." They believe that citizen action in challenging and defending the electoral process could potentially change the final outcome. The narrow margin between the two candidates underscores the significance of the ongoing scrutiny.