EU Mission Endorses Colombia's Runoff Election as Transparent and Well-Organized

The European Union Election Observation Mission (MOE UE) has endorsed Colombia's second-round presidential election as transparent, well-organized, and free of significant irregularities, despite a highly polarized campaign and concerns over disinformation. The mission deployed 141 observers to 592 polling stations across 30 departments and praised the Registraduría for its efficient organization. The preliminary report notes a 99.9% coincidence between the preliminary count and the official scrutiny, with only 3,700 claims filed—far fewer than the 50,000 alleged by some campaigns Source: elcolombiano.

Key Findings

• Transparency and speed: Almost 100% of preliminary results were published within an hour of polls closing, and the system met international standards for integrity and traceability Source: portafolioco.
• No evidence of fraud: The mission stated that no irregularities affecting results were detected, directly contradicting President Gustavo Petro's unsubstantiated claims Source: elcolombiano.

Disinformation Concerns

The mission highlighted that the campaign was dominated by online activity, with widespread disinformation and unprecedented use of AI-generated deepfakes, often favoring candidate Abelardo de la Espriella Source: infobae. The MOE UE warned that such tactics could undermine democratic processes.

Participation and Process

Voter turnout exceeded 63%, the highest in Colombia's history, though around 320,000 young people who came of age during the four months before the election were unable to vote due to registration rules . The mission commended the institutional strength and called for confidence in the final scrutiny.