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OAS Highlights Bolivian Citizens’ Efforts to Improve their Justice Administration System

In response to an invitation from the electoral authorities of Bolivia, the Organization of American States (OAS) deployed an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) that was present in the country in the different stages of the Process of Selection of High Judicial Authorities. The Mission thanks the Supreme Electoral Court, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and the different authorities for the openness with which they responded to the Mission’s queries, enriching its work.

The OAS Mission, headed by Martín Torrijos, former President of Panama, highlights the effort conducted by the citizenry to improve the justice administration system through an unprecedented method of electing its members. This procedure is evidence of the fulfillment of the goals contained in the Political Constitution of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to transform its institutions, leaving in the hands of the citizenry the responsibility to choose its future judicial authorities by vote.

In this context, the Mission wishes to highlight that this process guaranteed the plurinational and gender constitution of the future members of the system of justice. This reflects the will to construct a State with higher levels of inclusion.

On the day of voting the Mission satisfactorily observed the high voter turnout in the polls, as well as the exercise of social control during the period of vote counting. This is a new expression of the Bolivian people’s commitment to democratic processes.

With the objective of contributing to the perfecting of this process, the Mission recommends:

1) In relation to the pre-selection stage, that the process of candidate interviews should be perfected. In this sense, to expand the process by adjusting the different phases of evaluation of the candidates, which, doubtless, will contribute to enriching the information offered to the citizenry.

2) The need to conduct an analysis on the methods implemented to inform voters about the candidates. To achieve this, a balance must be found between the right of citizens to be informed, and the provisions established by law to prevent this process from becoming a political campaign.

3) To strengthen the training of table members to facilitate voting as well as the process of counting, as well as support the voter information mechanisms to guarantee the effective exercise of voting.

Once the electoral process has concluded, the Mission will present a report before the Organization’s Permanent Council.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-899/11