Colombian political parties have banned 1,400 supposedly criminal candidates from the upcoming October elections, various media reported.
Since Interior Minister German Vargas Lleras declared July 7 month that the government would begin removing candidates with criminal records, political parties have discovered hundreds of ineligible candidates.
The Liberal Party denied eligibility to the most candidates, with 500 people determined to be incapable of candidacy. The Conservative Party removed the second greatest number of hopefuls, with 400 candidates. The Partido de la U. weeded out 300 candidates while the Cambio Radical Party disqualified 175 people.
Most of the candidates who were rejected were running for councilor positions or members of administrative boards. Spokesmen for several parties said many of candidates were denied for false documents, illegal possession of weapons, personal injury, links to drug trafficking, and penalties from the inspector general and comptroller.
Vargas Lleras recently admitted that the government was having trouble uncovering candidates with current ongoing investigations against them.
