OAS to monitor Brazil elections in 2018

The Organization of American States (OAS) will send a team to Brazil to observe the general elections to be held next year. The invitation was sent by the Brazilian Superior Electoral Court. It is the first time the OAS will watch the vote in Brazil.

In an announcement published on the organization's website, OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro described the visit as “a great step” for Brazilian democracy. “Count on us at such a meaningful event like the next general elections. It bears witness to the opening of Brazil and its authorities and the recognition of the technical and professional quality of our observation missions,” he declared.

Almagro also used his Twitter account to make remarks on the topic: “A OAS team will observe the elections in Brazil for the first time. We thank the [Brazilian] Electoral Court for its confidence in our work.”

The formal invitation was sent Tuesday (Sep. 19). Brazil will be the 28th country to receive an OAS observation mission. “The Secretariat-General will immediately start the preparations for the mission, including contact with the donors to ensure the necessary funding. The electoral observation missions of OAS cannot be funded by the host country,” an excerpt of the note released by the organization reads.

According to the Superior Electoral Court, the mission will make recommendations, which may provide the basis for future international cooperation programs. The organization also reported that, even though this is the fist time an observation mission is conducted, special visits will be paid to the country during the campaigning period.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira