The Colombian government contributed $5.25 million to the National Registry for a biometric identification pilot program that seeks to prevent identification forgery in the upcoming election, revealed Colombia’s Minister of the Interior on Wednesday.
A biometric identification system works by identifying individuals by their unique intrinsic physical traits, such as a fingerprint or DNA.
Minister of the Interior German Vargas Lleras said that pilot program would help identify citizens in the voting process, and reduce fraud and impersonation.
The Minister announced the project Wednesday, accompanied by the president of the National Electoral Council, Judge Joaquin Jose Vives and the National Registrar Carlos Ariel Sanchez.
The registrar explained that the purpose of the pilot program, which is to be held in the departments of Bolivar and Valle del Cauca, is to follow-up on recommendations made by the Ministry of Interior regarding electoral risk.
“[The pilot program] will launch in these departments because there is a history. In the case of Bolivar, they will apply the program in Cartagena, Carmen de Bolivar, Magangue, and ten other municipalities, to cover 70% of the voting population in the municipalities,” said Registrar Sanchez.
However, reportedly the departments of Aruaca, Cuaca, and Choco are at the highest risk of election fraud in the October 30 elections, due to public disorder. In another announcement by Vargas Lleras, he said that the main threat in the departments is due to the presence of the FARC, ELN, and other alleged criminal gangs and gang traffickers.
