The Count Continues: Political Parties Reject Lack of Transparency in Legislative Scrutiny
VAMOS has questioned the party affiliation of those in charge of counting during the night shifts, raising concerns about the impartiality of the process. At least four political parties in contention have rejected that the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) is not updating the population on the progress of the legislative scrutiny process.
Additionally, these parties have also expressed their opposition to the fact that it is only a political party that is dedicated to publishing the possible profiles for the Legislative Assembly, rather than the TSE itself. According to the current results, the media associated with the Nuevas Ideas ruling party has suggested that 19 seats could belong to Nuevas Ideas, further fueling speculations and accusations about bias and transparency issues within the TSE.
The TSE’s evident lack of transparency has raised red flags, with the apparent omission of key data and information on the electoral process, such as the total number of votes registered by department and the distribution of Congressional seats. Several political parties, including ARENA, VAMOS, Nuestro Tiempo, and FMLN, have spoken out against the lack of disclosure by the TSE, calling it a deficiency in the electoral process that hampers citizens’ ability to follow and understand the progress of the scrutiny.
The absence of disclosure and the resulting uncertainty in the counting process have led to calls for increased transparency and accountability from the TSE. Various party leaders and representatives have emphasized the importance of real-time updates, highlighting the need for a clear and publicly accessible platform to follow the development of the legislative scrutiny.
The lack of transparency has been further amplified by concerns about security and vigilance at the scrutiny sites. Magistrate Julio Olivo has raised concerns over the overrepresentation of supporters of the Nuevas Ideas party at the tables, and the presence of individuals not involved in the scrutiny process. This has led to fears that the integrity of the process may be compromised.
Overall, the ongoing scrutiny process has been clouded by accusations of bias, lack of transparency, and concerns about security and surveillance. It remains to be seen how the TSE will address these issues and ensure a fair and transparent outcome for the legislative elections.