President Correa was today announced victor in the presidential election of Ecuador, garnering just over 50% of the vote to win his reelection outright in the first round against the former president Lucio Gutierrez and business magnate Alvaro Noboa. In the legislative election, sources suggest that Correa's Movimiento País coalition may yet have an absolute majority, already having likely won 61 of 124 assembly seats, with more to be determined and and with the likelihood of adding voting blocs with smaller parties.
With the consolidated legislative power, fears abound that Correa's ideological bents will cloud his ability to manage the economic storm facing the country, and critics cite his poor economic record to date as proof that his handling has not been deft. Nontheless, Correa has maintained his popularity with the working and lower classes of Ecuador. “Correa is better than the thieves that came before him,” said one Quiteño street vendor quoted in the NY Times.
With a new 4 year mandate, Correa is set to become the longest serving president in Ecuador's troubled political history since Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra (who himself never officially served more than 3 consecutive years).
At 46, Correa will soon be the youngest president in Latin America (outgoing Panamanian President Martin Torrijos is also 46).
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"fears abound that Correa's ideological bents will cloud his ability to manage the economic storm facing the country"
ReplyDeleteReally? And whose fears would those be? Tell me...
You guys sometimes read like a latino version of the State Department press releases.
Pepito
Great observation, Pepito. It would appear to me that Correa's reelection implicates political stability in Ecuador, which should in turn attract foreign investment and help improve Ecuador's economy. Domestically, he has done much to improve trade and infrastructure, restoring commerce between the coast and the Andes. Viva!
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