OAS Election Observers Arrive in Belize, Enhancing Electoral Transparency

The Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observation Mission is in Belize ahead of tomorrow’s general elections.  Prior to his demitting office this weekend, the former Secretary General Luis Almagro, announced that Maricarmen Plata, a member of his cabinet, would be leading the mission as its Chief. The 12-member team, comprises of observers from seven countries, and will focus on key aspects of the electoral process, including electoral organization and technology, political financing, and electoral justice.  In the lead-up to the polls, Chief Plata and her team will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including electoral authorities, political parties, and government officials, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the electoral landscape. On Election Day, the OAS observers will be present at polling stations across the country, monitoring the process from the opening of polls to the counting of votes and the announcement of results. OAS Representative to Belize, Dr. Luiz Octavio Coimbra says that the mission will allow for Belize and OAS to gain valuable insights on how to improve the electoral process. Minister of Political Reform Henry Charles Usher says that observers are a regular part of elections that is good for democracy.

This marks the fourth OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Belize. Previous missions were deployed for the 2012 and 2015 general elections, and a 1997 mission focused on voter re-registration. The OAS notes that the observer mission is being funded by the governments of Brazil, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, and Panama.