Rodrigo de Castro Amedee Peret, OFM (Brazilian), and Alejandro Castillo Morga, OFM (Mexican), both from the JPIC OFM Office in Rome, will take part in an international delegation to observe the presidential elections in the U.S. The delegation is being organized and coordinated by Pax Christi USA, the U.S. Catholic peace movement (www.paxchristiusa.org) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP (www.naacp.org), the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the U.S.

The international delegation of observers will include representatives from over a dozen countries on five continents. The delegation will concentrate its efforts in the state of Florida which was at the center of the controversy surrounding election improprieties in the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election. Brother Rodrigo and Brother Alejandro of JPIC OFM Office in Rome will be participating in the international delegation to observe and assure the integrity of the November election.

Pax Christi USA Executive Director Dave Robinson, in addressing the importance of having international observers present, stated, "After the 2000 election, when so many U.S. voters were denied participation in our common life as a nation, when their basic rights were denied and they were treated without respect, we are obligated to assure that such a situation does not repeat itself. Inviting the observers from the international community can help us achieve that goal."

As the day of the election approaches, reports of continued allegations of misconduct on the part of Florida elections officials have circulated. Charges of voter intimidation on the part of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Division of Elections arose in June as armed officers interrogated many elderly black voters in their homes claiming to be investigating charges of voter fraud. (A full report on voter intimidation and suppression in the U.S. is available here.)

The international delegation will observe polling stations in four counties in Florida, with additional monitoring taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; and St. Louis, MO. The delegation will issue a report on their findings shortly after the election.

U.S. Contacts: For media interviews or for more information, please contact Johnny Zokovitch, Pax Christi USA Communications Director, at 352-219-8419 or johnnypcusa@yahoo.com; or John White, NAACP Office of Communications, at 410-580-5125.