Paraguayan Electoral Tribunal ratifies inviolability of voting machines

The director of Political Financing of the Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice (TSJE) of Paraguay, Christian Ruíz Díaz, ratified this Monday that the voting machines used last April 30 in the general elections are inviolable.

The official explained in a press conference that the hardware (casing) and the software were subject to numerous previous verifications, including an international audit, and that they did not present any inconvenience or possibility of being violated.

He also informed that the TSJE contracted an international audit from IIDH/CAPEL, an organization that brings together the associations of electoral bodies of the region, whose technicians also confirmed the security of the voting machines and the mechanism used.

Regarding the alleged electoral fraud, he ratified that so far, the electoral institution has not yet received a formal document and that the denunciation made by the leaders of the National Crusade Party is based only on speculations.

This Monday, a new citizens’ demonstration took place in front of the central headquarters of the TSJE in the Paraguayan capital, which caused the closure of half of Eusebio Ayala Avenue.

Also, in other points of the country, intermittent road closures were carried out by several sectors of truck drivers.

The former presidential candidate for the Concertación Nacional, Efraín Alegre, also went to the headquarters of the electoral tribunal to request the opening of Envelope number 4, which contains the ballot papers used, including valid, invalid and blank votes.

On the other hand, the other former presidential candidate for the National Crusade Party, Paraguayo Cubas Colomés, has been serving a 10-day preventive imprisonment, since last Friday, for disturbing the public peace.