Webdesk: Ecuadorians are using their right to vote in a very important election to choose a new president and government. This election is happening in a time of doubt and trouble.
The country wants to get out of a cycle of violence and economic instability, where violence has been a part of elections.
How to Deal with Security and Economic Trouble
As the election gets closer, the problem of security is getting more attention. This made worse by the tragic death of an anti-corruption activist on August 9. Villavicencio shot and killed at a campaign event. He was a former reporter who did investigations and a politician. Six suspects, all of whom were from Colombia and were members of crime gangs, have been caught by police. A seventh suspect killed in a shootout that followed.
Candidates with different ideas
There are many different candidates for president in Ecuador, and each one has a different plan for the country.
Luisa Gonzalez, trained by former President Rafael Correa, is leading pre-election polls with about 30% of likely voters. She promises to put $2.5 billion from the country’s foreign reserves into the economy and bring back social programmes that started by Correa.
Otto Sonnenholzner, a candidate who supports the market, has become more aggressive since Villavicencio’s murder. He has promised to take strong action against dangerous criminals.
Jan Topic, a supporter of law and order who used to in the French Foreign Legion. He focuses on quick ways to solve security problems.
Daniel Noboa, the son of a well-known banana magnate, is running on a platform of creating jobs, while Yaku Perez, an Indigenous environmentalist, is running on a platform of making sure that mining permits meet environmental and social standards.
Voter opinions and hopes
As Ecuadorians vote, they talk about how worried they about the economy and rising crime rates. Monica Barba says that she hopes Correa’s party will win so that things will get better.
Menaly Luge, a student at a university, talks about how chances and keeping young people from leaving are important. As Ecuadorians vote, candidates like Christian Zurita, who took over after Villavicencio’s sad death, stress better ways to handle law enforcement and intelligence.
Villavicencio’s name is still on the pre-printed ballots, which is a sign of how his influence will last.
Referendums and the choosing of lawmakers
In addition to the election for president, there are also two environmental referendums on the ballot, which are likely to change how mining and oil drilling are done. With 13 million voters, Ecuadorians will also vote for 137 people to serve in the national assembly.
People between the ages of 18 and 65 are required to vote, and the process is kept safe by 100,000 police officers and military people.
To win in the first round, a candidate needs either 50% of the vote or 40% with a 10-point lead over the next candidate. If these limits aren’t met, there will be a second round of voting on October 15.
