Ecuador Vote Shows Contrasting Roles of Political Parties and Social Movements

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

BY W. T. WHITNEY

On August 20 in Ecuador, 45-year-old lawyer Luisa González of the Citizen’s Revolution movement political party (RC) gained 33.6% of the votes in first-round balloting for eight presidential candidates. Second-place candidate Daniel Noboa of the National Democratic Action, a 35-year-old business man and political neophyte, took 23.4% of the vote. González and Noboa will be competing in second round voting on October 25.

Voting on October 15 will determine Ecuador’s new president. The RC accounted for39.4% of the votes for new National Assembly delegates, three other parties for 45% of those votes, and five parties for the remaining votes.

The voters also considered referendums, one on halting oil extraction from Ecuador’s huge Yasuní National Park and the other on prohibiting mining activities in a biosphere region northeast of Quito. The referendums were approved by 59% and 68% of the voters, respectively.

. . .

With his second-place finish in the recent voting, candidate Daniel Noboa surpassed expectations, due in part to a stellar TV-debate performance. He represents wealth and power. His father, a five-time presidential candidate, and his uncle preside over an agro-export and real estate conglomerate made up of 200 business entities. They owe the government $1billion in back taxes.

More:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/09/01/ecuador-vote-shows-contrasting-roles-of-political-parties-and-social-movements/

(My bolding)