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2007 Colombian regional elections

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2007 Colombian regional and municipal elections

← 2003 October 28, 2007 (2007-10-28) 2011 →

The 2007 Colombian regional elections were held in the Republic of Colombia on October 28, 2007. The elections were organized as established by the Colombian Constitution of 1991 by the National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, CNE) to elect Department governors with its respective Department Assemblies, Mayors with their respective City Councils and the Local Administrative Juntas (JAL).

The election preparations and electoral campaigns occurred amid significant debate over the absence of guarantees for voters. Concerns were raised about potential interference from illegal armed groups, such as paramilitary self-defense groups or guerrilla factions, not only in terms of possible sabotage of the elections but also their support for certain candidates. This follows historical instances where politicians were elected with backing from the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a phenomenon highlighted in the parapolitics scandal. Additionally, there were apprehensions about the infiltration of drug trafficking money into the campaigns, a recurrence of past issues where drug money sometimes collaborated with illegal armed actions. Electoral fraud was also a concern, commonly manifested through practices such as vote buying and vote shifting.

The Attorney General of the Nation, Edgardo Maya Villazón, expressed reservations about conducting the elections under the existing electoral system, which has remained unchanged since before the 1991 Constitution and is susceptible to such frauds. Despite these issues, the elections proceeded.

The elections have been marked by the assassination of 22 candidates and the kidnapping of at least two. The main armed group targeting the elections is the marxist leninist guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as part of the Colombian armed conflict with the government of Colombia.[1] The President of Colombia Álvaro Uribe Vélez publicly called not to vote for those candidates preferred by the FARC or candidates who were offering to buy people's vote.[2] While in some areas there are reports of untrusting the elections due to the break out of the Parapolitica scandal in 2006 in which it was discovered that members of the demobilized paramilitary group United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) had been colluding with political leaders and members of the public force in order thwart adversaries and advance politically.[3]

On this date, some 27 million Colombians are apt to vote to elect between some 86 thousand candidates to represent 1,098 Colombian municipalities and 32 governors of Colombian Departments. Colombian authorities mobilized 167,559 soldiers and policemen in order to vigil the 9,950 voting sites.[4]

Candidates

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Governorships

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Departamento Candidato Partido Votos %
Amazonas Félix Francisco Acosta Soto Partido Convergencia Ciudadana 9.426 46.81%
Olbar Andrade Rincón Partido Cambio Radical 6.895 34,24%
Eliseo Rosendo Martínez Cruz Partido Colombia Democrática 1.076 5,34%
Antioquia Luis Alfredo Ramos Botero Partido Alas Equipo Colombia 836.526 44.45%
Eugenio Prieto Soto Una Antioquia Nueva 579.020 30,77%
Rodrigo de Jesus Saldarriaga Sanin Polo Democrático Alternativo 58,992 3,13%
Arauca Freddy Forero Requiniva Partido Cambio Radical 27.889 38.94%
Adalberto Enrique Jaimes Ochoa Partido Liberal Colombiano 15,522 21,67%
Albeiro Vanegas Osorio Partido de Unidad Nacional 12.723 17,77%
Atlántico Eduardo Ignacio Verano De la Rosa Partido Liberal Colombiano 344.112 46.41%
José Antonio Name Terán Partido de Unidad Nacional 213.270 28,76%
Bolívar Joaco Hernando Berrío Villarreal Partido Cambio Radical 206.962 32.76%
Alfonso López Cossio Partido de Unidad Nacional 177.703 28,13%
Dionisio Miranda Tejedor Polo Democrático Alternativo 47.335 7.49%
Boyacá José Rozo Millán Verde Opción Centro 195.537 35.28%
Pedro Alonso Sanabria Buitrago Partido Conservador Colombiano 191.041 34,46%
Rafael Romero Piñeros Partido Liberal Colombiano 56.787 10.24%
Caldas Mario Aristizábal Muñoz Partido Liberal Colombiano 157.714 38.76%
Francisco José Cruz Prada Partido de Unidad Nacional 145.100 35,66%
Ricardo Alberto Castaño Zapata Polo Democrático Alternativo 14.839 3,65%
Caquetá Luis Francisco Cuéllar Carvajal Alianza Social Indígena 35.780 32,72%
Álvaro Pacheco Álvarez Partido Liberal Colombiano 27.104 24,79%
Nelcy Almario Rojas Movimiento Nacional Afrocolombiano 18.622 17.03%
Casanare Óscar Raúl Iván Flórez Chávez Partido de Unidad Nacional 78.774 59,78%
Efrén Antonio Hernández Díaz Partido Liberal Colombiano 40.776 30,94%
Yimmy Novoa Ángel Partido Alas Equipo Colombia 2.253 1.71%
Cauca Guillermo Alberto González Mosquera Movimiento Nacional Afrocolombiano 134,866 32.58%
Eduardo José González Angulo Partido Liberal Colombiano 87,950 21.24%
Juan Diego Castrillón Orrego Movimiento Alianza Social Indígena 39,832 9.62%
Cesar Cristian Hernando Moreno Panezo Verde Opción Centro 141,211 43.38%
Arturo Rafael Calderon Rivadeneira Movimiento Independiente Libres 94,277 28.96%
Jaime Camilo Murgas Arzuaga Partido Conservador Colombiano 47,847 14.70%
Chocó Patrocinio Sánchez Montes de Oca Partido de Unidad Nacional 45,338 38.68%
Carlos Alberto Escobar Córdoba Partido Liberal Colombiano 36,431 31.08%
Yesid Francisco Perea Mosquera Partido Conservador Colombiano 2,639 2.25%
Córdoba Marta del Socorro Sáenz Correa Partido Liberal Colombiano 234,639 39.16%
Margarita Rosa Andrade García Partido Colombia Democrática 203,339 33.93%
Álvaro Emiro Petro Sierra Polo Democrático Alternativo 12,125 2.02%
Cundinamarca Andrés González Díaz Partido Liberal Colombiano 457,023 51.38%
Álvaro Cruz Vargas Partido Cambio Radical 217,582 24.46%
Tarsicio Mora Godoy Polo Democrático Alternativo 32,383 3.64%
Guainía Iván Vargas Silva Partido de Unidad Nacional 3,057 28.99%
Jose Walter Lenis Porras Partido Alas Equipo Colombia 2,542 24.11%
Jorge villegas Caro Alianza Social Indígena 1,501 14.24%
Gustavo González Partido Conservador Colombiano 1,424 13.51%
Luis Eduardo Manotas Solano Partido Cambio Radical 1,011 9.59%
Guaviare Oscar de Jesús López Cadavid Partido Conservador Colombiano 9,418 37.65%
Dagoberto Suárez Melo Movimiento Convergencia Ciudadana 8,717 34.94%
Luis Fernando Angarita González Movimiento Colombia Viva 4,350 17.39%
Huila Luis Jorge Pajarito Sánchez García Partido Conservador Colombiano 187,792 49.04%
Carlos Mauricio Iriarte Barrios Partido Liberal Colombiano 128,859 33.65%
José Jairo González Arias Polo Democrático Alternativo 9,265 2.42%
La Guajira Jorge Eduardo Pérez Bernier Movimiento El Pueblo Decide 89,064 44.36%
Miguel Antonio Murgas Núñez Partido Liberal Colombiano 83,869 41.77%
Jaime Enrique De Luquez Díaz Polo Democrático Alternativo 6,857 3.42%
Magdalena Omar Ricardo Díaz Granados Velásquez Partido de Unidad Nacional 143,593 36.35%
José Luis Pinedo Campo Partido Cambio Radical 122,237 30.94%
Vilbrun Edward Tovar Peña Polo Democrático Alternativo 14,004 3.55%
Álvaro Antonio Ordóñez Vives Movimiento Apertura Liberal 8,093 2.05%
Meta Darío Vásquez Sánchez Partido de Unidad Nacional 121,300 43.71%
Maritza Martínez Aristizábal Movimiento Volvamos a Avanzar 112,597 40.58%
Eudoro Álvarez Cohecha Polo Democrático Alternativo 9,437 3.40%
Nariño Antonio José Navarro Wolff Polo Democrático Alternativo 262,917 49.39%
Vicente Germán Chamorro de La Rosa Partido de Unidad Nacional 172,190 32.34%
Norte de Santander William Villamizar Laguado Partido Conservador Colombiano 300,451 63.83%
Luz Adriana Quiroga Wilches Movimiento Apertura Liberal 33,784 7.18%
Putumayo Felipe Alfonso Guzmán Mendoza Partido Liberal Colombiano 43,322 47.99%
Jimmy Harold Díaz Burbano Partido Conservador Colombiano 27,684 30.67%
Miguel Ángel Rubio Bravo Polo Democrático Alternativo 9,700 10.75%
Quindío Julio Cesar López Espinosa Por un Quindío Para Todos 93,632 41.01%
Gildardo Ceballos Zuluaga Partido de Unidad Nacional 82,861 36.29%
Henry González Mesa Polo Democrático Alternativo 8,481 3.71%
Risaralda Víctor Manuel Tamayo Vargas Partido Conservador Colombiano 151,700 42.91%
Germán Chica Giraldo Partido Liberal Colombiano 120,991 34.23%
Gonzalo Arango Jiménez Polo Democrático Alternativo 11,303 3.20%
San Andrés Pedro Clavel Gallardo Forbes Movimiento Integración Regional 8,187 37.23%
Aury Socorro Guerrero Bowie Partido Liberal Colombiano 8,160 37.11%
Jack Housni Jaller Partido de Unidad Nacional 4,063 18.48%
Santander Horacio Serpa Uribe Partido Liberal Colombiano 482,745 55.93%
Didier Alberto Tavera Amado Partido Convergencia Ciudadana 293,972 34.06%
Juan José Landinez Landinez Polo Democrático Alternativo 4,838 0.56%
Sucre Jorge Carlos Barraza Farak Partido de Unidad Nacional 114,976 32.53%
Julio César Guerra Tulena Partido Liberal Colombiano 114,087 32.28%
Lucy del Carmen Urzola Capella Polo Democrático Alternativo 26,246 7.43%
Tolima Óscar Barreto Quiroga Partido Conservador Colombiano 178,679 35.25%
Luis Carlos Delgado Peñón Partido Liberal Colombiano 142,362 28.08%
Huillman Calderón Azuero Polo Democrático Alternativo 18,543 3.66%
Valle del Cauca Juan Carlos Abadía Campo Movimiento Por Un Valle Seguro 660,174 47.98%
Francisco Javier Murgueitio Restrepo Partido Conservador Colombiano 117,498 8.54%
Alejandro De Lima Bohmer Partido Alas Equipo Colombia 107,484 7.81%
Fabiola Perdomo Estrada Alianza Social Indígena 79,025 5.74%
Orlando Riascos Ocampo Polo Democrático Alternativo 63,155 4.59%
María del Socorro Bustamante Ibarra Partido Liberal Colombiano 45,428 3.30%
Vaupés Leonidas Soto Muñoz Cambio Radical 35.57%
Carlos Ivan Melendez Movimiento Colombia Viva 31.35%
Iván Darío Sandoval Perilla Alianza Social Indígena 25.26%
Vichada Blas Arvelio Ortiz Rebolledo Partido de la Unión por la Gente 33.36%
Juan Carlos Ávila Partido Liberal Colombiano 33.31%
Hugo Janio López Chaqueo Alas Equipo Colombia 24.37%

Irregularities in election process

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The Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported that the National Registrar of the Civil State (Registraduria Nacional del Estado Civil) announced several changes in some voting sites in the Colombian Caribbean region: In Cartagena and Magangué in Bolívar Department, Gonzalez in Cesar Department, Barranquilla and Malambo in Atlántico Department and Santa Marta and El Retén in Magdalena Department after there were reports of irregularities.[5][6]

The local newspaper El Nuevo Día from Ibagué, Tolima Department reported that opposition groups to Major Bolívar Guzmán blocked access to the town of Valle de San Juan also in Tolima Department, alleging that there had been a manipulation of the election process. The blockage prevented functionaries of the National Registrar from establishing elements needed for voting. Members of the Colombian National Police and the Colombian Army were called to reestablish control in the town.

There were also reports of fraudulent techniques used to obtain more votes, the most common was the Trasteo electoral (lit.'Vote Carrying') in which for example a municipality gets more votes than its official population able to vote, as it occurred in the municipality of Piojó, in Atlántico Department where there were 6,088 people subscribed as apt to vote, but its actual population apt to vote over 18 years old is 2,988.[7]

Caracol Radio reported that there had been 49 people captured for committing electoral fraud crimes and there had been 26 denunciations reported to the Inspector General of Colombia Edgardo Maya among these the possession of numerous IDs used to illegally vote more than once and the exchange of votes for money or groceries for votes. Inspector General Maya-Villazon also discarded any possibility that elected candidates sanctioned with disciplinary sanctions, penal crimes, impeachment or any other fault on this elections will not be able to take office. He also mentioned that in case any of these candidates took office will be suspended from office.[8]

Violence

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A month before the elections there were already some 70 homicides related to the Colombian regional elections of 2007, including government officials, perpetrated by guerrillas, former and new paramilitary groups or common delinquency. This tendency of using violence to coerce the population escalated when the paramilitary groups influenced the previous 2003 regional, presidential and legislative elections.[7][9]

Onservers part of the mission sent by the Organization of American States (OAS) formally accused the FARC of being the main cause of the disruptions to the electoral process. Not only from violence but from coercion, but also mentioned that the elections were not in danger but for some people in certain areas.[10] Like during the electoral day the FARC used explosives to destroy electrical towers in the southern Colombian Department of Nariño. This action left without electricity an area covered by some 5 municipalities. The Ombudsman of Colombia accused the emerging paramilitary gangs of also thwarting the election process in some areas. Some of this groups included Aguilas Negras, Los Traquetos, Los Mellizos, ''Los de Barranquilla, Los Paisas, Los 40, Macacos, Cuchillos and la Organización Nueva Generación.

Post election

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On October 29, 2007, a day after the election, protesters of the losing candidate for mayor in the municipality of Ciénaga de Oro, Córdoba Department rioted and burned down the City hall and the local office of the National Registrar of the Civil State, alleging that there had been fraud. The winning candidate Plinio Di Paola won with a difference of 15 vote over the losing candidate. Also in Córdoba Department, in the town of Ayapel the office of the National Registrar was stoned. A state of emergency was sanctioned in several other populations of the Córdoba Department.[11]

References and notes

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  1. ^ votebien.com Archived 2008-11-22 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ ELESPECTADOR.COM – Noticias
  3. ^ VoteBien – Elecciones 2007 Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ ELESPECTADOR.COM – Noticias
  5. ^ Polo triunfó en Bogotá y Nariño, pero uribismo mantiene mayorías – Archivo – Archivo digital eltiempo.com
  6. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  7. ^ a b "ELECCIONES-COLOMBIA: Esperanza en la sociedad civil". Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
  8. ^ Noticias – Caracol Radio Archived 2007-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Previously to these events the guerrillas already used coercion in their areas of influence to elect officials with which they sympathized or where easy to extortion.
  10. ^ Acusan observadores a FARC de perturbar elecciones en Colombia
  11. ^ ELESPECTADOR.COM – Elecciones 2007 » Un muerto dejó la jornada electoral en Córdoba Archived 2007-10-31 at archive.today
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