Jorge Altamira was the Workers Party (Partido Obrero, PO) presidential candidate in the elections held on 24 October 1999, while Pablo Rieznik was the PO's candidate for vice-president (Buenos Aires Economico 25 Oct. 1999; La Nación 24 Oct. 1999a; ibid. 24 Oct. 1999b). According to a November 1999 report in the Party's magazine, En Defensa del Marxismo, the PO received 115,000 votes nationwide in the presidential elections. This information was corroborated in a 25 October 2000 interview by the Research Directorate with a member of the PO's executive committee, who added that none of the Party's candidates was successful in federal or provincial elections held in October 1999. The Website of Mivoto, which provides information on Argentinean election results, reported that 1,507 individuals in Entre Rios province voted for the PO's slate of candidates in the 1999 presidential elections (1999).

In the 25 October 2000 interview, the Workers Party executive committee member stated that the PO did not field any candidates in the provincial elections held in Entre Rios on 24 October 1999.

The member also stated that he was not aware of any incidents between January 1998 and October 2000 in which PO members in Entre Rios province were threatened, harassed or assaulted (ibid.). No further information on the treatment of members of the Workers Party in Entre Rios could be found among the documentary sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Buenos Aires Economico [in Spanish]. 22 October 1999. "Details of Elections, Minor Presidential Candidates Listed." (BBC Summary 25 Oct. 1999/NEXIS)

En Defensa del Marxismo [in Spanish]. November 1999. Jorge Altamira. "Balance de las elecciones argentinas: La tercera vía (muerta)." http://www.po.org.ar/edm/edm25/balance.htm [Accessed 24 Oct. 2000]

Mivoto. 1999. "Entre Rios: Elección Presidencial de 24/10/99." http://www.mivoto.com.ar/entrerios-presidente99.html [Accessed 24 Oct. 2000]

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. 24 October 1999a. "Perfil de los aspirantes a ocupar la Casa Rosada." http://www.lanacion.com.ar [Accessed 24 Oct. 2000]

_____. 24 October 1999b. "En la capital, hay 17 listas de postulantes a diputado nacional." http://www.lanacion.com.ar [Accessed 24 Oct. 2000]

Partido Obrero (PO), Buenos Aires. 25 October 2000. Telephone interview with executive committee member.

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases.

Latin American Weekly Report [London]. Jan. 1998-Oct. 2000.

Latin American Regional Reports: Southern Cone Report [London]. Jan. 1998-Oct. 2000.

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International.

Elecciones'99.

Human Rights Watch.

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. 1998-2000.

World News Connection (WNC)