With low support in the polls, Lasso and Iza decide against entering the presidential race

Neither President Guillermo Lasso or Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) President Leonidas Iza will be candidates for president in the cross death election. Both made announcements Friday, ending speculation about their political futures.

Conaie President Leonidas Iza.

Although Lasso said he would not be a candidate when he announced the cross death two weeks ago, he since then hinted he might reconsider.

“I have decided not to accept a nomination for the presidency for the August elections and this is my final decision,” Lasso said. In his statement, he called for “national unity to defeat authoritarianism in the elections.”

In his announcement, Iza, criticized the leadership of the indigenous Pachakutik political party, claiming it had been “kidnapped by the oligarchy.” According to several party leaders, it appeared likely during the last week that Iza would be defeated by National Assembly leader Salvador Quisphe for the Pachakutik nomination.

Iza has suffered a number of setbacks to his political support since he led the nationwide indigenous strike in June 2022. His efforts to organize new strikes have been rejected by the governing board of his Conaie.

According to recent political polls, neither Lasso or Iza appears to have sufficient support to advance to the October presidential runoff, both polling around 20%, well below the numbers of environmental activist Yaku Perez and a yet-unnamed candidate from the Citizen Revolution movement.