Irregularities Reported on Day Prior to Elections

The Youth Electoral Platform (PJE) and the Center for Democracy Studies (CESPAD), through the electoral observation process in various parts of the country, alert and urge the relevant electoral authorities and national and international electoral missions of the following:

1. At the voting center located in the Industrial Technical Institute Froylán Turcios [an educational center] in Tocoa, Colón, there are reports of vote buying and selling under the pretext that such payments correspond to the government social program “Community Work.”
2. Article 542 of the Criminal Code establishes that electoral coercion is a crime punishable with 4 to 6 years in prison.
3. We see these actions as violations of citizen’s right to vote without coercion and an undermining of fair elections.

Tegucigalpa, November 27, 2021, 10:32 am.

The Youth Electoral Platform (PJE) and the Center for Democracy Studies (CESPAD) through the electoral observation process in various parts of the country, alert and urge the relevant electoral authorities and national and international electoral missions of the following:

1. In the kindergarten named Natalia C. Abarca, [the location of] an electoral collection center in Choluteca, has not received the equipment for the Preliminary Transmission of Electoral Results (TREP [system]).
2. Article 257 of the electoral law establishes that the National Electoral Council, with due anticipation, must send the respective material and electoral documentation, to the municipal electoral council
3. We consider this action as a delay [tactic] and possible obstruction of the electoral process in the department of Choluteca.

Tegucigalpa, November 27, 2021, 2:09 pm

The Youth Electoral Platform (PJE) and Center for Democracy Studies (CESPAD), through the electoral observation process in various parts of the country, alert and urge the relevant electoral authorities and national and international electoral missions of the following:

1. In the municipality of Cabañas, department of Copán, the voting centers assigned by the National Electoral Council (CNE), the Francisco Morazán school and the Juan Lindo school, are currently not in use due to infrastructure problems caused by hurricanes Eta and Iota. For this reason, the representatives of the Voting-table Supervisory Group (Junta Receptoras de Voto, JRV), the Armed Forces and the community, unofficially agreed to change the location of the voting centers without existing approval from the CNE.
2. Article 45 of the Electoral Law establishes that the duties of the Municipal Electoral Councils are: to serve as liaisons between the CNE and local political party authorities, as well as, to ensure the proper functioning of the voting centers and the JRVs.
3. In addition, Article 544 establishes that unjustified changes of time and locations where elections are to take place; irregularities in the organization and functioning of the voting tables, just as the establishment of the JRVs without authorization of the National Electoral Council, are electoral crimes
4. We insist that electoral authorities prevent all types of anomalies that obstruct the electoral process.

Tegucigalpa, November 27, 2021, 5:25 pm

From the Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN):

Voter Intimidation and Vote Buying are Escalating in La Union Lempira, Honduras

For immediate release: November 27, 2021

Contact: Judy Ancel, 816-835-4745, jancel@igc.org

Threats and vote buying are escalating in La Union Lempira where the Reyes family and the National Party are playing dirty in the hope of maintaining power in tomorrow’s national elections. Last night “Two 4X4’s –one driven by the driver for Asterio Reyes [father of the National Party candidate for mayor Rolando Reyes], were driving around during the night in what residents considered a threatening manner. . .This has been going on for about 5 days already, but intensified last night and will probably continue until the elections,” said Maria Robinson, an American human rights activist visiting La Union. She said that the people in the 4×4’s were armed and intimidating residents in the area from voting.

There is a well-organized effort by citizens in a coalition of Libre and Liberal Party members as well as some National Party members disaffected with the wealthy autocratic Reyes Family long in control of the municipality. They hope to unseat them from power. Rigo Matute, a human rights activist, local coffee cooperative leader and President of the La Union Municipal Election Commission, has evidence of vote buying, which includes delivery of long promised government aid, just in time for the elections by the Mayor, Giovanni Reyes, and his cousin Rolando. Matute has received a number of reports from coalition supporter of outright purchasing of voter ID’s (cedulas) for as much as 2500 lempiras (US$100) in order to suppress votes in opposition to the Reyes. Without an ID, a Honduran cannot vote. Since the new election law raised prison time for vote buying and selling to 16 years, the price for purchase of IDs has gone up. “I’m told that this is shaping up to be the most expensive election in Honduran history because of the increased cost of vote buying,” added Robinson.

Matute himself, who is known in his community for his honesty and opposition to corruption, has received numerous threats. A few weeks ago, his house was broken into in the middle of the night. In his work on the Election Commission, he says he has heard reports from citizens whose houses were robbed of their IDs. Just yesterday a National Party supporter sidled up to one of Matute’s fellow activists saying that he heard Matute was going to have gasoline poured all over him and then be set on fire. That was not the first death threat he has received.