The nullity of the presidential elections in El Salvador
The nullity of the presidential elections in El Salvador will not be possible, at least not through the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
The magistrate of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of El Salvador Guillermo Wellman pronounced himself on the matter, and made clear the issue of the nullity of the presidential elections in El Salvador.
He estimates that it is “not possible” to nullify the presidential and legislative elections of February 4, 2024, in view of the warning of the right-wing Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA) party that it would present such an appeal.
“That is not possible, it is playing with the population (…) we must respect the people who came to vote massively“, he declared to journalists. According to Wellman, “the interests of the political parties cannot be weighed against the general interest of the population”.
Regarding the nullity of the presidential elections in El Salvador, the official offered his position, despite the fact that the opposition ARENA party has not yet presented an appeal for nullity.
The nullity of the presidential elections in El Salvador: Final tally
The magistrate pointed out “To be asking for nullities is to be kicking the can down the road“, he said.
The TSE summoned to begin this Wednesday, February 7, the final scrutiny of the elections, which is the one used to officialize results and which would be carried out vote by vote in the totality of the minutes of the legislative elections and partially in the presidential one, due to the failures in the compilation and transmission registered on February 4.
However, it was not until this Thursday, February 8, when the final scrutiny began, which closes the process and gives finality to the results, according to the legislation.
Before the counting of the ballots in the polling stations was concluded and without the data having been transmitted to the TSE, Nayib Bukele proclaimed himself winner with 85% of the votes and assured that his party would have obtained 58 out of 60 seats in dispute.
UN congratulates Bukele
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) office in El Salvador on Wednesday congratulated “the people and President Bukele” for the February 4 elections.
“We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting the country in its priorities for social welfare, economic transformation and egalitarian, inclusive and sustainable peace,” says a UN El Salvador message on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
But the nullity of the presidential elections in El Salvador is a complicated case, given the wide margin obtained by the reelected president.
At the same time, ARENA’s presidential candidate, Joel Sanchez, acknowledged Bukele’s victory in the February 4 elections in a video posted on social networks on Wednesday.
“God bless El Salvador and give wisdom to the president that the population decided, Nayib Bukele, to lead this beloved nation through the best horizons”, said Sanchez, while his party talks about requesting the nullity of the elections.
On the other hand, the TSJ has not presented the preliminary results of the legislative assembly due to a failure in the vote counting system and transmission of results, and was preparing on Tuesday to begin the final scrutiny counting vote by vote.
“They were already installed, they were already trained and now some tables have already started” the scrutiny of the presidential election, declared TSE magistrate Guillermo Wellman this February 08, 2024.
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