participation exceeded 80 percent

First modification: 02/06/2023 – 04:33

The high level of participation characterized the day of local elections in Ecuador. This was announced by the president of the National Electoral Council, Diana Atamaint.

According to Atamaint, with 80.74%, the involvement of citizens in the process is “within historical margins”, of an electoral roll of more than 13 million people.

For his part, the organization’s vice president, Enrique Pita, pointed out that participation abroad reached 74%. The administrator affirmed that of some 22,999 registered to exercise their right to vote, 17,063 did, out of a register of 97,000 Ecuadorians.

In the midst of concern about the delay in the delivery of the results, in its press conference at 9:00 p.m. local time, the National Electoral Council reiterated that they will respect each and every one of the votes and that all will be scrutinized.

OAS “concerned” by political violence

However, election day was marred by the murder of Omar Menéndez, candidate for mayor of the municipality of Puerto López, on Saturday, February 4. The head of the Observation Mission of the Organization of American States, Juan Pablo Corlazzoli, described the incident as “very worrying”. The candidate belonged to the political group of former President Rafael Correa.

“The OAS has already carried out twenty-two electoral observation missions in this country. This is the twenty-third time, and I would say that it is the first time that this fact, so adverse and negative for democracy, that there are expressions of violence with political motivation, is being confirmed,” Corlazzoli highlighted.

The regional body official applauded the condemnation of the event by the head of state, Guillermo Lasso, and the president of the National Electoral Council, Diana Atamaint. Juan Pablo Corlazzoli stressed that they hoped that the investigations by the relevant organizations would clarify it.

Omar Méndez was a member of the Revolución Ciudadana party, led by former President Rafael Correa. On July 21, another candidate for mayor, but from the city of Salinas, was also assassinated while carrying out a campaign event.

Local media reported other acts of violence against the candidates of Correa’s political party.

Until 11 in the morning this Sunday, the Ecuadorian National Electoral Council reported a group of incidents during the process. However, at the close of the tables, the development of the process was reported without major incidents and as normal.

The constitutional referendum

In addition to the elections for local leaders, Ecuadorians also voted for the constitutional referendum proposed by President Guillermo Lasso. The proposed changes are condensed into eight questions. One of them refers to extradition: “Do you agree with allowing the extradition of Ecuadorians who have committed crimes related to transnational organized crime, through processes that respect rights and guarantees?”, reads the document that was will submit to popular vote.

The control of the followers of the political tents is also on the table. The number of members of the groups must be equivalent to 1.5% of the registered voters at the national level.

According to the referendum, the question will be: “Do you agree with demanding that political movements have a minimum number of affiliates equivalent to 1.5% of the electoral register of their jurisdiction and forcing them to keep a periodically audited register of their members?” by the National Electoral Council?

Another issue to be decided will be the number of legislators in the National Assembly. The proposed distribution would be as follows: one assembly member per province and one additional provincial assembly member for every 250,000 inhabitants; two national assembly members for every million inhabitants; and one assemblyman for every 500,000 inhabitants residing abroad.

With EFE and local media