A week into the referendum campaign, Moreno supporters feeling confident; Correa complains about media ‘blackout’ against the ‘no’ position

Following a week of official campaigning, supporters of President Lenin Moreno say they are on the way to a resounding “Sí” victory in the February 4 referendum election.

Former president Rafael Correa was on the “No” stump in Guayaquil on Saturday.

“We feel very good about our position and believe we will have an overwhelming triumph in February,” José Villavicencio, president of the Workers Unity Front (FUT) said Sunday. Villavicencio spoke at rallies over the weekend in Cuenca and plans to move on to Guayaquil and Manta later this week.

“The latest polls show that the people are on our side by a great majority but we cannot rest until the campaign ends,” he said. “We know the tactics of the opposition since we have been subjected to them for many years. We cannot let our guard down.”

Villavicencio was referring to recent polls that show 72% and 75% support for the “yes” side.

FUT is one of 36 political movements authorized by the National Electoral Council (CNE) to campaign in favor of the referendum. Four organizations are registered to promote the “No” position.

On Saturday, the Unidad Popular front, another “Sí” supporter, held its annual convention in Quito and announced its schedule for the remainder of the campaign. The Committees of the Citizen Revolution (CRC) also released its schedule, saying it would organize caravans throughout the country in the “Sí” campaign’s remaining weeks.

Meanwhile, former president Rafael Correa is blasting what he calls a “media blackout” against the campaign of “No” supporters. “It is like a wall of silence erected against our side,” he said. “It is the commercial, rightwing media against the people, something I fought hard to correct when I was president. This is one reason we must vote no on February 4.”

In a Saturday rally in Guayaquil, Correa said that opponents of Moreno must work twice as hard to overcome their disadvantage. “We must tell the people about the arrogance and abuse of power of the government. We must also convince them of the corruption of the media.”