The errors in the dissemination of the preliminary electoral results of 2023 cannot be repeated in 2027, according to electoral observers who ask the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) to prioritize its IT Directorate.
But that unit has been without a director since the last TSE planned the last general elections, having only one person in charge who does not end up taking command of said electoral unit.
Now, the wave of cyber attacks on State institutions makes observers reaffirm the need for the TSE to reinforce this area, as it is an agency with sensitive information.
Among them, membership data, information on political parties, committees, but highlighting the electoral roll, sensitive information on all Guatemalan citizens eligible to vote.
Last week, the TSE decided to disable its website as a preventive measure against cyber attacks, a portal that was reestablished on Monday, May 4, according to the official report from electoral authorities.
The agreements for the decisions made by the plenary session of TSE magistrates are published on the website; the statistics of members of political organizations and the growth of each one according to the citizen affiliation processes.
In the last meeting held by the electoral plenary session with the representatives of the political parties, the organizations warned the TSE of the need to strengthen their IT areas, a suggestion that the authorities listened to.
Magistrate Quelvin Jiménez explained that they strengthened their portal after evaluating areas that could be vulnerable, in order to safeguard the information that the TSE has.
Director urgently needed
Pedro Cruz, president of the Primero Guatemala organization, and who stood out as one of the most active electoral observers in 2023, commented that it is essential that the new TSE fill that void in the IT Directorate.
“I believe that if there is no IT director, they have to make a call so that the best can apply and hire immediately, especially because it is one of the weaknesses and generator of noise of the previous electoral process,” Cruz said.
Guillermo Fuentes, from the Aire Organization and who participated in the last Electoral Update and Modernization Commission (CAME), indicated that the magistrates must motivate confidence in professionals to apply for this position.
“It seems that systems engineers are not encouraged. The last few have had criminal proceedings. To a certain extent it is understood, but the TSE has to create a strategy that generates confidence for the hiring of the IT director,” he commented.
New Trep
In the last elections, the Preliminary Electoral Results Transmission (Trep) system was used, which had a cost of Q148 million, overvalued according to a complaint from the Comptroller General of Accounts (CGC).
But in addition to the high cost, problems in its operation generated doubts in the first round of voting, which led to complaints to the Public Ministry (MP), which suggests minutes uploaded ahead of time.
All these problems mean that the Trep is no longer an option for the 2027 elections, but it is necessary, in Cruz’s opinion, that this year the tool that projects the trend of votes will be defined.
“It must be resolved this year, especially because tests have to be done, errors must be corrected. Delivery can be done very easily, but errors can occur that have already been implemented, which is why it is also important that staff be trained, this takes time,” he remarked.
But Fuentes believes that, if there is no reliable option, it would even be prudent to do without it, since Guatemala’s electoral system is protected by the hundreds of volunteers that make up the different Electoral Boards.
“We already have little time, only months away from the call for the 2027 elections, we are already in May, running with a process like this, we would have to see if it works and we are not here to be doing tests and making mistakes,” he pointed out.
TSE takes action
Judge Jiménez said that the observers’ comments are reasonable, but explained that as the new TSE they are taking the necessary actions to strengthen not only the IT area.
He added that “fortunately” they managed to hire a deputy director for the IT Directorate, and he trusts that in the coming days the TSE will be able to hire and announce the director.
They also analyze 12 proposals aimed at creating their own system for the dissemination of electoral results, a tool that generates trust and has no margin for error as in 2023.
But also, given the recent computer attacks, they seek to create a new unit in charge of shielding the entire TSE. “We are in the process of creating a cybersecurity directorate, so that this allows us to protect the information and data that the TSE has, as a transversal axis of all units and directorates.”