At 8 a.m. Sunday, March 8, the doors of the Cuban Civic Club, located at 10905 Memorial Highway in Tampa, opened for the 10,000 Colombian voters registered in the Tampa Bay area and its surroundings.

The lines to exercise their right to vote gradually grew longer, not only with Colombians residing in Tampa, but also with people from cities such as Clearwater, Largo, Jacksonville and Palm Beach, among others.

But despite the good intentions of the Colombian Consulate — located in Orlando and with jurisdiction over Tampa Bay — in choosing this site as a polling place, it wasn’t the best for some voters who expressed their dissatisfaction with the small size of the space.

“I went in the morning and it was very organized. The consulate staff and volunteers were working very well, but in the afternoon, when I got in line to vote, it took me about 50 minutes to reach my voting table,” said John Maury Muñetón, a volunteer at the polling station.

Muñetón explained to CENTRO Tampa that early in the morning the lines moved quickly and those who arrived early cast their votes without major problems, but in the afternoon, when more Colombians arrived, “the room became too small. It should have been bigger, since people were crowded inside.”

It’s worth noting that of the 10,000 Colombian voters registered in Tampa Bay and the surrounding area, a total of 2,773 cast their ballots, not only on Sunday but also during early voting held the week of March 2-6 at the Consulate in Orlando.

“They provided the necessary electoral guarantees so that voters could exercise their right to vote. Complaints only arose at the end of the day, around 4 p.m., when some people protested because the line wasn’t moving and they were unable to vote,” noted Sonaira Hinestroza, an election observer.

Hinestroza said that unfortunately, these people arrived just in time to vote, and that’s why the call is to vote earlier, with the presidential elections on May 31 in mind.

“It’s still unknown whether the polling place for the Colombian presidential election will be the Cuban Civic Club; the consulate hasn’t made a decision yet. I understand the frustration of some voters about the small space allocated, but I encourage them to come early to vote and avoid any inconvenience,” Hinestroza said.

A satisfactory day

Despite the long lines, the threat of rain, and the gentle sunshine that accompanied this election day, Colombians abroad demonstrated their commitment to their country, highlighting the importance of exercising their right to vote.

“I live in Largo, Florida, and I’ve been in the country for 11 years. The day has been a bit slow because of the lines and the delays, but it went well. I saw many people from places near Tampa; for example, I spoke in line with someone who came all the way from Palm Beach,” commented María del Carmen Jaramillo Lerma, a Colombian who voted.

Jaramillo Lerma said that this time he saw many more people than in past elections and asked the newly elected Congress to help Colombia move forward: “Because I love my homeland very much, I miss it very much, and that’s why I’m praying a lot, so that all of Colombia takes the course it should be on.”

Winners in Tampa

With 98% of the polling stations reporting, the National Civil Registry, the Colombian community in Tampa celebrated the winner of the Great Consultation for Colombia, Paloma Valencia, the candidate for the far-right Democratic Center party, who obtained more than 3 million votes.

This inter-party primary puts her in the presidential race alongside the new electoral phenomenon and outsider Abelardo de la Espriella — also from the right — and Iván Cepeda, the candidate chosen by the current left-wing government of the coffee-growing nation, led by the current president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro.

Finally, the overseas seat, belonging to the House of Representatives (Lower House) and representing Colombians residing outside the country, also remained in the hands of the Democratic Center, with Alejandro Murcia being elected, who reached 58,814 votes (26.72%), consolidating the support of voters in different countries and positioning himself as the most voted option in this constituency.