Former Ecuadorian lawmaker Mauro Andino alleged that the National Electoral Council (CNE) is working at the behest of the ruling PAIS Alliance party to subvert political opposition ahead of the presidential election on February 7.
Andino claimed that the CNE is actively working to ‘disqualify’ opposition candidate Andrés Arauz, saying, “We are witnessing an electoral process with profound irregularities. There are attempts to eliminate political organizations and change the election day.” This wouldn’t be entirely unsurprising, given that CNE counsellor Luis Verdesoto previously filed a legal complaint seeking Arauz’s disqualification.
Andino has accused electoral authorities of repeatedly invoking legal mechanisms so as to leave open the possibility of “issuing a sentence and suspending (Arauz’s) political rights” in case he does win the election.
He further alleged that the ballots for the parliamentary elections are purposely being printed late as an act of voter suppression. In fact, Arauz himself has previously claimed that President Lenín Moreno has repeatedly tried to “delay the elections”.
There are also concerns over arbitrary changes to the ballot counting system. In 2017, each precinct sent its results to the CNE. In this election, however, the results will first be sent to a ‘ballot receiving centre’ before being passed on to the CNE.
Criticism of the legitimacy of Ecuador has been levelled not only at home, but also by foreign actors. For instance, in December 2020, Argentinian Vice President Cristina Fernández tweeted, “Along with Andrés Aráuz Galarza, until today banned candidate for President of Ecuador for the Union for Hope alliance. Does Lenin Moreno really want the rest of the world to believe that there is democracy in Ecuador?”
Although Moreno himself is not running for election, his government has repeatedly attempted to facilitate favourable conditions for the party’s candidate, Ximena Peña Pacheco. PAIS Alliance’s attempts to cling on to power come against a backdrop of public unrest against corruption, political suppression, economic malaise, and a public health catastrophe.
In October 2020, the country’s largest Indigenous organization filed a lawsuit against President Moreno for “crimes of humanity” committed against protesters in October 2019, when 10 people were killed during demonstrations against the removal of fuel subsidies.
Furthermore, Ecuador has a debt of $59 billion, or 60% of its GDP, with its economy contracting by roughly 9% in 2020 amidst a huge drop in oil exports. Against this backdrop, citizens favour the socialist agenda being promised by opposition candidate Arauz, who has pledged to give $1,000 to one million families. He has also said that the “current conditions” of the “agreement with the IMF […] will not be complied with, because they undermine Ecuadorian families and a program of economic growth in Ecuador”.
The IMF granted Ecuador $6.5 billion in assistance but in return demanded a number of austerity measures. However, the economic impact of the COVD-19 pandemic has pushed at least two million people into poverty and left over 523,000 people unemployed. As a result, the required cuts to government spending and staff and increases in the value-added tax are seen by Arauz and his supporters as untenable in the current circumstances.
Ecuador has also recorded over 251,000 cases of the coronavirus and close to 15,000 deaths, making it one of the worst-affected countries both in Latin America and across the world. The public health system has been woefully underprepared, both in terms of staff and resources, to deal with a crisis of this magnitude, as evidenced by the fact that several towns have seen corpses strewn across the streets.
Arauz has secured the support of former President Rafael Correa, who was in power from 2007 and 2017. Although he was sentenced to prison for corruption, he remains a highly popular figure in Ecuador, given that he oversaw a continued period of economic growth.
Aside from PAIS Alliance’s Ximena Peña Pacheco, Arauz will also be competing against Guillermo Lasso and Yaku Pérez. While Lasso commands the support of “business elites, social conservatives, and the centre-right”, Pérez is backed by the “indigenous community and environmentalists”.
A candidate must receive over 50% of the votes or over 40% with a lead of more than 10% over the second-placed candidate. If not, there will be a runoff election between the top two candidates on April 11.
Former Ecuadorian Lawmaker Alleges Electoral “Irregularities” Ahead of February 7 Vote
Former Ecuadorian lawmaker Mauro Andino claims that electoral authorities are actively working to disqualify opposition candidate Andrés Arauz, who stands a high chance of winning the election.
February 3, 2021
IMAGE SOURCE: JOSE JACOME / EPA-EFEOpposition candidate Andrés Arauz