Election wrap-up; Daniel Noboa’s successful election strategy; Azuay’s new asambleistas; Challenges for the new Assembly; Child support scofflaws arrested

Lunes, 21/8/2023

Hola, Todos –

Titular –

Luisa González y Daniel Noboa, a segunda vuelta (Luisa González and Daniel Noboa, to a run-off) – See today’s (lunes) article in CHL for the story.

Elecciones –

El correismo y un ‘outsider’ al balotaje (Correismo and an ‘outsider’ on the ballot) – Various experts attributed the surprise 2nd place finish by Daniel Noboa to his performance in the presidential debate where he didn’t engage en pugnas (conflicts), but centered on explaining his plan to solve the 2 main problems confronting the country – insecurity and unemployment. <I guess I should go to the CNE website and read his whole plan. I hope it was one of the shorter ones (20 odd pages instead of 70 something pages.> They also said he targeted his post-debate campaign on social networks, targeting youth who are 30% of the electorate.

Leonardo Berrezueta, Mabel Méndez, Sofía Sánchez, Diego Matovelle and Adrián Castro will represent Azuay Province in the new National Assembly. (El Mercurio)

Roger Celi, coordinator of the Observatorio Legislativo, which follows the work of the legislators, said it’s complicated to define Noboa’s political tendencies or if he supported the government or was part of the opposition. Quite a few times, he voted for Lasso’s projects, but he also voted in favor of impeachment. What is clear is that he is a businessman who legislated for this sector and did it well. He presented new laws, all of which were approved in the full Asamblea with a comfortable margin. He is pragmatic rather than inclined towards a political position. As an example, when the Russian war against the Ukraine started, and the whole world rejected that, he paid for a trip with a group of asambleistas to defend his banana business.

Tres candidatos más votados por provincia (Top three candidates by province) – By province, the top 3 candidates in 17 of them were González, Noboa and Villavicencio. In the other 7 provinces, the top 3 were González, Noboa y Topic. In Azuay, the top vote getters were González with 36.12%, Noboa with 24.14%, and Villavicencia with 16.36% who won in the provinces of the Galápagos, Napo, Pastaza, and Bolívar. <A sympathy vote, or a vote for his campaign platform? I was getting messages to vote for Lista 25.> Noboa won in Carchi, Cotopaxi, Tunurahua, Chimborazo, Loja, and Zamora Chinchipe provinces, with González picking up the rest.

Caras nuevas y conocidas ganan curules del Azuay (New and familiar faces win Azuay’s seats) – Azuay’s representatives in the Asamblea Nacional will include 2 candidates from the Revolución Ciudadana (List 5), which received 29.53% of the votes. Leonardo Berrequeta was National Secretary to the Presidency and Minister of Labor during Pres. Correa’s term. Mabel Méndez, was an alternate assemblyperson to Assemblyman Juan Cristóbal LLoret in 2021, and became the principal assemblyperson when Lloret resigned to run for <and win> the Prefectura del Azuay. Sofia Sánchez, (Movimiento Construye, List 25/Villavicencio) received 20.23% of the vote and won back her seat on the assembly to which she had been elected for the 2021-2025 term. Diego Matovello (Alianza Acción Democratica Nacional – lists 4-35/Noboa) was a candidate for the Prefectura del Azuay in last February’s elections. Adrián Castro (Alianza Actuemos, list 8-23/Sonnenholzner), worked in EMOV and ANT when Marcelo Cabrera was mayor and Minister of Transportation.

RC comandará Asamblea Nacional (RC to head National Assembly) – Of the 137 legislators elected el domingo, 15 were national representatives to the assembly, 115 provincial representatives, 6 representing overseas Ecuadorians, and 1 representing the Distrito Metropolitano de Quito. Percentages of the national assemblymembers by parties, movements or alliances are as follows. Movimiento Político Revolución Ciudadana (Gonzáles <Correa>) – 41.52%, Movimiento Construye (Villaviciencio) – 20.50%, Alianza Acción Democratica Nacional, ADN (Noboa) – 13.71%, Alianza por un Paíz sin Miedo (Topic) – 11.17%, Alanza Actuemos (Sonnenholzner) – 4.09%, Alianza Claro Que Sí se Puede (Pérez) – 3.14%, Partido Sociedad Patriótica (no presidential cantidate associated) – 3.08%, Movimiento Renovación total, RETO (Hervas) – 1.56%, Movimiento Amigo, Acción Movilizadora Independiente Generado Oportunidades (Armijos) – 1.26%.

66 detenidos por boleta de apremio en recintos (66 detainees arrested by restraining order) – Police arrested 66 people who had writs of summons <A Google translation, I have no idea what it means.> against them for for owing child support. Another citizen was arrested for being implicated in an investigation of robbery. Those detained were allowed to vote before they were delivered to the appropriate authorities. <Ecuador has its priorities right – even an arrest doesn’t interfere with a citizen’s right and obligation to vote. At least that way, (s)he doesn’t get fined for not voting.> Minister of the Interior, Juan Zapata, said more than 100,000 police were deployed to guarantee citizens’ safety.

Por Ley Seca, también hubo 10 sancionados (10 people were also sanctioned for the Dry Law) – During the controls for the Dry Law which was in effect from el viernes, 18/8 to 12:00 este lunes, 10 people were informed they were in violation of the law – 8 on el viernes, and 2 on el sábado. <This is an amazingly small number of people, but if you had to drink, you probably drank at home.>

Nacional –

Polarización y fragmentación en nueva Asamblea Nacional (Polarization and fragmentation in the new National Assembly) – Political analyst César Ulloa believes that without a majority in the Asamblea Nacional, the new Government won’t be able to govern. From there, in order to fight insecurity, for example, the Gov’t should declare an emergency in that sector so that it can buy equipment and take measures. <In that way, could it “borrow” Villavicencios ideas and implement them? Political scientist Ana Cecilia Salazar said that the confrontation and polarization have seeded a political culture that generates hate and defamation which has discredited politics. <Sound familiar?> What is needed is that each assemblyperson fulfills their obligations and not get into confrontations. Experts feel that for the 17 months of their terms, asambleistas should dedicate themselves to legislate in an orderly and efficient manner to leave behind the ghost of the previous Asamblea which had a 4% approval rating.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne