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Press Release

OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Ecuador Urges Responsibility and Prudence

The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (EOM/OAS) urges all actors to await the final results that will be presented by the National Electoral Council (CNE), the only institution authorized to do so.

It is fundamental that the will of the electors be respected and that all of the institutions established by the laws of Ecuador be exhausted, avoiding any kind of violence.

The EOM calls on all political actors to act with prudence and responsibility while awaiting the final results. The electoral laws of Ecuador include procedures to receive demands by legal means. It is of fundamental importance to provide the citizenry with truthful, timely and objective information from the CNE.

Because it considers this an issue of public interest, the Mission wishes to report that today, following the press conference given by the CNE, the Mission held an extended meeting with the Chair of the Council, Juan Pablo Pozo.

In this meeting, the Chair of the CNE explained in detail the causes of the delay in the conclusion of the delivery and publication of the results of the presidential election held yesterday.

The Chair of the Council Pozo informed the Mission that after the conclusion of the election 87.78% of the votes were processed; and according to the information given by Pozo, these votes were processed rapidly given that they did not contain inconsistencies.

Pozo further explained that the remaining 12.22% that remain to be processed contain some image error after being scanned; are illegible; contain some inconsistency; lack some of the signatures of the Junta Receptora del Voto; are currently being processed, or did not have a Records Transmission and Processing Center at the voting center due to geographic conditions in the zone. Moreover, he said that a minor percentage of votes from abroad remain to be processed.

During the meeting, the Mission urged the Chair of the CNE to continue to deliver public reports on the progress of the vote count. It is important that this stage be resolved with the maximum speed, transparency and clarity in order to give certainty to the political organizations and the citizenry.

The Mission welcomes the initiative of the Chair of the CNE Juan Pablo Pozo to invite the candidates to explain to them the technical process that will be carried out in each post-electoral stage, and accepts the call of the CNE to be present in this dialogue in the quality of observer.

The Mission will remain on the ground to observe the post-electoral stage until the vote count is finalized.

Following the count, the Mission will disseminate a public report with recommendations on structural aspects of the electoral process. The EOM thanks electoral authorities and officials for their collaboration that made possible the proper development of its activities, and congratulates the people of Ecuador for their enthusiastic civic participation in yesterday´s election.

Reference: E-008/17