Reps. García, Jayapal Lead Letter Urging Free and Fair Elections in Colombia
Reps. García, Jayapal Lead Letter Urging
Free and Fair Elections in Colombia
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), were joined by 22 other House colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Biden administration, urging them to convey the United States’ impartial support for a free, fair, and inclusive process during the upcoming presidential election in Colombia. As the first round of voting approaches on May 29, these shared democratic values have come increasingly under threat: a credible assassination plot briefly paused the frontrunning candidates’ campaign, and some military leaders have broken their political neutrality to signal a strong preference for certain electoral outcomes.
“These irregularities set a troublesome precedent for more attempts to hinder Colombia’s democratic process,” said the Members in the letter. “More Colombians are expected to vote than ever before, including increased participation from marginalized communities. We believe that achieving the peace and prosperity that Colombians have worked so hard for requires not only that the halls of power be accessible to minorities long excluded from power, but also that free and fair elections be held, in which candidates are free to campaign without intimidation, and in which every vote is counted.”
“As a coalition of committees across the United States made up of Colombians and allies that care about human rights, we demand that the democratic process be respected. We also demand that the Colombian Government ensure safety for all candidates and social leaders who fight every day for a better Colombia,” said the Colombia Human Rights Committee.
“These Presidential elections are taking place at a time when insecurity, violence, disinformation and polarization are very high. The U.S. government, Colombia's number one ally, must monitor developments closely and urge all parties to play fair and accept the results,” said Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli, Director for the Andes at the Washington Office on Latin America.
“As we know all too well here in the United States, democracy can never be taken for granted and perhaps the biggest test for any democracy are elections in a highly polarized environment. In Colombia it is crucial that all internal political actors, and key allies like the U.S. government, strongly condemn threats to the integrity of the upcoming presidential elections. The U.S. Administration should join international appeals for peaceful, transparent elections and for all of Colombia's political actors to respect the results of the elections, no matter who is the victor,” said Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
Also joining the letter were Representatives Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Anthony G. Brown (MD-04), Cori Bush (MO-01), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Andy Levin (MI-09), James P. McGovern (MA-03), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Takano (CA-41), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Maxine Waters (CA-35), and Susan Wild (PA-07).
Full text of the letter can be found here. A translated copy of the letter can be found here.
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