Presidential elections in Ecuador set for 7 February 2021 of the year. Their result will determine the future of this country and show, which political forces are gaining the upper hand in South America. International edition Federal News Agency identified three key candidates for the presidency of Ecuador, which reflect the main vectors of development of Latin American politics.
Previous elections
The previous general elections in Ecuador were held in 2017 year. Socialist President Raphael Correa spent two terms in the presidential chair and could not become a candidate, therefore, instead of him, the largest "left" alliance PAIS (Haughty and Sovereign Homeland, "Homeland is proud and independent") put forward Lenin Moreno.
In the first round, Moreno scored only 39% votes and could not immediately win. To the second round, which took place 2 April, the right-wing forces in Ecuador have managed to win significant support to their candidate - a banker and negotiator with the International Monetary Fund Guillermo Lasso.
Not without a scandal: in the second round Moreno received 51,16% votes, just a couple of percent ahead of Lasso. The election results were contested by both sides, so 13 April, the National Electoral Council announced a recount; as a result, the candidate from the "left" was awarded 1594 vote, and the election result has not changed. Moreno was voted for by the coast and the north of the country, while south, the mountainous Andes and the eastern jungle sided with the Conservative candidate.
Debate Topics - Election Topics
in the evening 16 January 2012 open debate took place 16 presidential candidates. All participants in the debate, which were broadcast by national television, got the opportunity to express their position. The main topic of discussion, as expected, became the views of candidates, how to "bring to life" the economy of Ecuador in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and political instability, which is preserved in many countries of South America.
Another important topic for Ecuador remains the reproductive rights of women - even in the 21st century, many in conservative Catholic Latin America are not ready to accept abortion as a normal phenomenon., let alone agree to, to be included in health insurance programs. Rose in debate and indigenous rights, crowded out by mining corporations and cities, as well as the problem of Ecuador's public debt - some candidates hope to solve them with the help of the IMF, while others - using open trade agreements with global economic giants.
The three most important candidates
For the upcoming elections in Ecuador, analysts identify the three most important and famous candidates. According to polls, held in January 2021 of the year, in the rating of public opinion leads Andres Araus, a young student of a retired 2013 year of Raphael Correa. They are ready to vote for him 37,61% Ecuadorians - but not enough, to immediately take the presidency.
In the elections, Araus is a candidate from the left political bloc UNES (Union for Hope, Union for Hope), chaired by ex-president Correa. This party was in opposition to the outgoing President Lenin Moreno, and criticized him for "neoliberal reforms" and cooperation with the IMF.
Under Correa, young economist Andres Araus headed the Ministry of Knowledge and Human Talent. In the elections, he relies on the generation of "Correists" and the ideology of "socialism of the XXI century", which brings him closer to left-wing political forces in Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.
“I will be the President, and Rafael Correa will be my main advisor ", - announced Araus during the debate.
Correa's legacy draws a large section of the leftist electorate to his side: people have not yet forgotten the economic successes of Ecuador under him, when the country's GDP grew by 3% annually. Araus is critical of the IMF and promises to cancel Moreno's "neoliberal" reforms, "Take control" of the big capitalists and develop relations with the Union of South American States (UNASUR). During the debate, the UNES candidate recalled, that the Moreno administration was unable to find a decent response to the COVID-19 pandemic precisely because, which destroyed regional ties.
Araus claims, ready to take decisive steps to combat coronavirus: he has already met with the President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez and requested 4,4 million doses of vaccine for compatriots. But big business in Ecuador, According to him, did nothing to combat the pandemic - on the contrary, businessmen used COVID-19, to destroy workers' rights, protected by international agreements.
During Saturday night’s presidential debate, leading candidate @ecuarauz condemned a smear campaign promoted by right-wing sectors, which falsely claims he seeks to undo Ecuador’s dollarization. pic.twitter.com/7SNqPweQJW
— Ecuador On Q (@Ecuador_On_Q) January 17, 2021
New Correa warns Ecuadorians live: have strength, who try to exclude socialists from the political process, and so everyone, who is on the left side, should go and vote - and watch, so that their voice is not stolen.
During the presidency of Rafael Correa, Ecuador maintained good relations with Russia: So, eg, the country's leader received honorary doctorates from MGIMO, Institute of Friendship of Peoples and USU, and with 2018 year he broadcasts on the Spanish version of the RT channel. You can expect, that his student will also be interested in developing relations with the Russian Federation.
Ecuadorian banker Guillermo Lasso is Araus's main rival in the upcoming elections. He is running for president for the third time, and 2017 year almost bypassed Lenin Moreno in the elections. According to polls, The "right" candidate maintains order 30,88% Ecuadorians.
The main thing for Ecuador now, banker approves, - develop international trade and attract foreign investment. In the elections, he is supported by a bloc of conservative parties - CREO ("Creating opportunities") and PSC (Social Christian Party).
"We must open the economy of Ecuador to the world without fear", - announced Lasso, promising to conclude free trade agreements with the United States, China and South Korea.
Guillermo Lasso's turn, of the Creo-PSC alliance (the one who knows the most about debates between the presidential candidates). It says that Ecuador is going through a triple crisis: economical, health and ethics. pic.twitter.com/0mRMjPma2q
- Fernando Terranova (@FJTerranova) January 15, 2021
Conservatives, on which the "right" candidate relies, do not hide their attitude to the old order: according to Guillermo Lasso, Ecuador is now going through three crises - “economic, medical and moral ".
"Correism is an attempt to repeat the past: past mistakes, including corruption at all levels ", - announced Lasso.
Behind Lasso's back is the most respectable and wealthy electorate. Business elite, center-right and Christian conservatives hope, that their candidate will be able to defeat Andres Araus in the elections, because the young korreist is less popular than Lenin Moreno. On the Lasso side - the capital of the country of Quito, and the alliance with the PSC will attract voters from the second largest city in the country, Guayaquil..
Catholics on his side Guillermo Lasso, after all, a member of the formidable glory of the "Vatican secret service" Opus Dei and is a categorical opponent of abortion (and consequently, debauchery and licentiousness, conservatives think).
Analysts estimate, Lasso will follow the IMF's proposed loan program for the economy and the national bank. Citizens, dissatisfied with the increase in taxes, he intends to calm, injecting a billion dollars into the economy of Ecuador and creating a million new jobs in the country.
Which Perez embodies the aspirations of young voters, as well as numerous Indians of Ecuador. Lawyer by education, Perez was the leader of the conservation movement, fought for the rights of local people to water resources and against the mining industry, devastating country.
He entered big politics on the wave of protests against "austerity measures", introduced by the Moreno government in October 2019 of the year, and became the leader of the Pachacutik party, political wing of the Confederation of Indigenous Nations of Ecuador.
#Presidential Debate2021 | Pachakutik's candidate, Yaku perez, was consulted on how to provide education to students from rural and marginal urban sectors that in the midst of the pandemic do not have an internet connection, in CNE debate pic.twitter.com/rW0v6Hdttm
- Ecuador Press Room (@SalaDePrensaEc) January 17, 2021
During the debate, Perez announced, that he intends to support all regional integration projects, for Latin America to be able to resist the influence of the dominant global economic blocs. He intends to implement the Paris Climate Agreement to combat global warming and sign agreements with countries, Where do migrants from Ecuador flee?. Unlike Lasso and Araus, Perez refused to negotiate with the IMF, opposed the increase in taxes and is ready to declare a moratorium on payments on the state debt, if the debt is deemed "illegitimate".
“We are fighting against Correism, and against the right ", - announced the Indian candidate.
Preliminary polls show, that Yaku Perez can count on votes 13,86% voters in Ecuador. His main problem in the elections is the ambiguity of political aspirations. Positioning yourself as a left-wing anti-globalist, he is simultaneously against the right and against the left, but is ready to maintain "very good relations" with the President-elect of the United States Joe Biden. Conservative voters are scared off by Perez's origins - Canyari Indian and not Catholic; and potential left-wing supporters are concerned about the Confederation of Indian Communities' alleged links with the US Central Intelligence Agency.
And all the rest
Opinion polls in Ecuador show, that the other numerous presidential candidates have virtually no public support. Even the 70-year-old "banana billionaire" Alvaro Fernando Noboa, who is running unsuccessfully for the presidency of the country with 1998 of the year, more than 10% lags behind Yaku Peres.
The former president is behind him Lucio Gutierrez (2003-2005 years), who was once able to unite left socialists and right conservatives (and they, and others demanded his impeachment on various charges - embezzlement of funds, manipulation of elections and calls for attacks on courts). They are ready to support him 1,1% of voters. And after him, rated in 1,08%, a former parliamentarian speaks in the elections Cesar Montufar, university professor, who fights for women's rights.
You can expect, that the fate of the presidency in Ecuador will not be decided in the first round of elections 7 February. The international editorial office of the Federal News Agency continues to follow developments in Latin America.
Author: Valentin Melikov
