DILI – The United States congratulates the people of Timor-Leste for participating in peaceful and credible national parliamentary elections on May 12.  

“We commend the national election bodies for their management of the elections.  We also appreciate the engagement of international and domestic observers, particularly those from Timorese civil society,” said office of the spokesperson in a press released today.   

This achievement represents another major milestone in Timor-Leste’s young democracy.   

“We applaud all political parties for their participation and look forward to working with the new government to deepen the strong ties between the United States and Timor-Leste”. 

The citizens of Timor-Leste went to the polls to vote for the second time in less than a year after President Francisco “Lú-Olo” Guterres called a snap election when he was unable to form a government and pass a budget in the national legislature. 

The International Republican Institute (IRI) found that Timor-Leste’s May 12 parliamentary elections were “efficiently administered and met international standards for free and fair elections.”  

Delegation co-chairs Randy Scheunemann and Bruce Edwards said, “The Election Day atmosphere was peaceful yet energized, with only minor incidents reported during the campaign period which did not affect the election.” 

Meanwhile, president of Alliance Change to Progress or AMP party, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão also expressed his congratulation to all of the people who participate actively in the weekend election declare that AMP win the early election but he call to recount because of there some irregularities.

He said there are some different numbers between AMP party and FRETILIN.

“So this is we say sometimes they feel tired. So we need to recount. We do not want more as well as minus. We want the truth, because this is because this is the will of people sovereignty. We do not play with people sovereignty,” he said in a press conference.

“We guarantee that the result of recount is impossible affect us because we do this conference with complete acts from each voting center in the country”.

“We have absolute guarantee that we win. There is some small parts but will not influence nothing but we do not want also because we hear some politician accuse us for doing some irregularities in Oe – Kusi Ambeno. Yesterday they said must present the facts so now we present the facts,” he said.

Xanana also call to all of the people to remain calm until high court announces the final result of the early election. (Oki)