Nicaragua Network

November 8, 2016

Report of the Mission of International Electoral Experts accompanying Nicaragua's electoral process from May to November 2016

Report of the Electoral Experts Mission

I. Presentation

The International Electoral Experts Mission was invited to the country to witness the organizing stages of the Nicaragua electoral process, convening for the first time on May 6, to mark the beginning of the 2016 General Elections Calendar. Within the framework of that visit, Officials of the Supreme Electoral Council were interviewed, onsite visits and analysis of vital documentation of the regulatory electoral system was undertaken, for the purpose of formulating an in-depth technical opinion of the development of the various processes of the electoral system.

The Mission carried out its work based on a qualitative and respectful analysis of national legal norms, whether these resolutions were administrative, jurisdictional or legislative in nature, based on the principles of international solidarity and non-interference in internal affairs, which are the basic pillars for the functioning of any inter-American organism.

In this context we commend the levels of electoral participation, considering they occur in a voluntary voting system and allows the possibility for those that are not part of the Voting Registry, to be reintegrated to the national democratic community. Without a doubt, maintaining levels above the Latin American average, in addition to constituting good news, should be a first order challenge for the entire country.

In summary the objectives of the Mission were:

1)       Observe and gather information of the main stages of the electoral process.

2)       Provide recommendations on relevant findings based on comparative experience, to the extent it could offer an improvement to the specificities of the national framework.

3)       Gather relevant best electoral practices in order to share experiences with other international missions.

II. Main observations of the Mission

The International Electoral Experts Mission wants to highlight the following aspects of the electoral process:

1)       The citizen verification process as a participatory and transparent mechanism, by which the voter directly confirmed the veracity of their recorded data. It is important to keep in mindat this point that the success of any electoral process depends in large part on theinvolvement of its citizens, as a vital mechanism for the functioning of the various electoral processes.

2)       Commend the successful logistic plan implemented for the distribution of electoral material, as it demonstrated effective inter-agency coordination of various organs of the Nicaragua State.

3)       Highlight the timely opening of polling stations, with ample participation of members of the polling stations, as well as other electoral officials.

4)       Proper identification of Personnel at polling stations, taking into account international recommendations, thus achieving "clear definition of the functions of each individual, in order to avoid confusion regarding levels of authority within the same polling stations (JRV)" and facilitating the exercise of the right to vote.

5) Within this same context, the proper identification of Poll Watchers of each participating political party who were located in places that guaranteed their prerogatives, while ensuring the secret exercise of the right to vote, was very important.

6) Consider the creation of a Disabled National Electoral Registry to improve the various means of accessibility.

7) Express satisfaction for the adequate presence of Security officials that helped to create an atmosphere of order and tranquility for voters.

8) Emphasize the importance of having created a ballot friendly design that contained the image of candidates and adequate space to express the preferences of voters.

9) Highlight the massive participation of women in polling stations, with progressively greater presence of young people, promptly attending their civic duty in assisting electoral institutions.

10) Congratulate the improvements made to the mechanisms of accreditation of poll watchers, by carrying out international recommendations in terms of the "necessity to refine procedures to facilitate that all parties involved comply in a timely manner with their obligations in this matter, and thus improve mechanisms for the accreditation of poll watchers ", considering that in this process the distribution levels of accreditations were diversified.

11) Assess the implementation of a Photographic Electoral Registry, as it facilitates the identification of voters, and in turn adds another factor of electoral transparency.

12) Finally, it is an inter-American example to highlight the participation of women, effectively protecting the expansion of their political rights, not as a mere declaration of intent, but as an institution that is legally protected and guaranteed.

III. Technical Recommendations

The recommendations outlined below, constitute a contribution offered within the framework of the principles of international solidarity and non-interference in internal affairs. These are:

1) Improve the placing of Active and Passive Electoral Registries in polling stations, so they can fully meet publicity objectives.

2) Continue to expand the National Identification Process, in order to achieve full coverage of Nicaragua citizenship, given the importance that it has as a mechanism to formalize and ensure the right to an identity.

3) Review the number of voting stand at each Polling station, through a more detailed analysis of the space that exists in each case.

4) Analyze improvements in the design of voting stands in such a way that it serves its purpose, adjusting to the infrastructure realities of the polling station.

5) Promote greater youth participation campaigns, in order to maintain the rates observed in Nicaragua elections.

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List of electoral experts and specialists accompanying the 206 elections in Nicaragua (Spanish notes)

1.    Doctor Raúl Alconada Sempe
    Ex Vice Ministro de Defensa, Ex Canciller de la República Federal Argentina durante el Gobierno de Alfonsín, Asesor del Secretario General de la OEA en Washington, Jefe y Subjefe de Misiones de la OEA en Nicaragua y actualmente Docente en la Universidad del Río de la Plata.

2.    Doctor Wilfredo Penco
     Vicepresidente de la Corte Electoral de la República Oriental del Uruguay, ha sido Jefe y Miembro de Misión de UNASUR en varios Procesos Electorales de América del Sur. Fundador del CEELA.

3.    Doctor Pablo Gutiérrez Vásquez
     Ex Director del Departamento de Cooperación Electoral de la OEA (D.E.C.O) Período 2002-2007 y dirigió no menos de 60 Misiones Electorales de la OEA,  Consultor de FLACSO en Chile. Conocedor de todo el Sistema de funcionamiento  a lo interno de la OEA en Materia Electoral.

4.    Doctor Oscar Hassenteufel
     Ex Presidente del Tribunal Electoral de Bolivia, Ex Presidente Ministro (Magistrado) de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Bolivia, actualmente ejerce su Profesión de Abogado. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

5.    Doctor Víctor Gastón Soto
     Ex Miembro del Jurado Nacional de Elecciones del Perú, Ex Miembro del Consejo de la Magistratura del Perú y actualmente Profesor de varias Universidades de su País. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

6.    Doctor Nicanor Moscoso
     Ex Presidente del Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Ecuador, Ex Vice Ministro de Hacienda, actualmente Alto Funcionario de la Prefectura de Guayaquil, Presidente y Fundador del CEELA.

7.    Doctor Francisco Guillermo Reyes
     Ex Miembro del Consejo Nacional Electoral de Colombia, Ex Viceministro de Justicia de su País y actualmente es Profesor Titular de la Universidad  Católica de Colombia. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

8.    Doctor Salvador Ramos
     Ex Presidente y Magistrado de la Junta Central Electoral de la República Dominicana en la Cámara Contenciosa y actualmente es el Director del Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) y Docente de Derecho Constitucional y de Familia. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

9.    Doctor Ramón Antonio Hernández
     Ex Magistrado de la Junta Central Electoral de la República Dominicana, actualmente Profesor de las Cátedras de Derecho Penal. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

10.    Doctor Eugenio Chicas Martínez
     Ex Presidente del Tribunal Supremo Electoral de la República de El Salvador y actualmente Secretario Ministro de Información y Prensa de la Presidencia de la República de El Salvador. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

11.    Doctor Walter René Araujo Morales
     Ex Presidente del Tribunal Supremo Electoral de la República de El Salvador, Ex Presidente del Partido Arena, del cual actualmente se encuentra separado, trabaja en estricta colaboración con el Alcalde de San Salvador y con el Equipo cercano del Presidente Sánchez Cerén. Miembro Fundador del CEELA.

12.    Doctor Alejandro Tullio
     Ex Director Nacional Electoral de la República Federal Argentina hasta Enero del 2016, actualmente Decano de Derecho de la Universidad de San Martín y Director de la Maestría en Gestión Electoral. 

13. Doctor Augusto Aguilar
     Ex Presidente del Tribunal de Elecciones de la República de Honduras, Ex Diputado Nacional del Congreso de Honduras, Presidente de la Asociación de Sicólogos de Honduras y Docente de varias Universidades.

14.    Alexander Vega
     Presidente y Magistrado del Tribunal Electoral de Colombia. Asiste como Miembro del CEELA en calidad de Invitado.

15. Bernardo Franco Ramírez
    Magistrado del Tribunal Electoral de Colombia. Asiste como Miembro del CEELA en calidad de Invitado.

16.    Héctor Elí Rojas Jiménez
     Magistrado del Tribunal Electoral de Colombia. Asiste como Miembro del CEELA en calidad de Invitado.

17.    Carlos Aníbal López López
     De nacionalidad Argentina, asiste en calidad de Invitado a solicitud del Embajador de nuestro País, José Luis Villavicencio.