With the majority of votes counted, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa appears to be headed towards re-election without the necessity of a run-off. He joins former president José María Velasco Ibarra as the only man to occupy the presidency more than once. Correa's party, PAIS Alliance, also captured the majority of seats in the National Assembly giving it increased power in the country.
Photo by Ecuadorian Presidency and used under a Creative Commons license. http://www.flickr.com/photos/presidenciaecuador/3480496889/
His victory gives Correa to chance to strengthen what he calls “21st Century Socialism.” Ecuadorian bloggers are reflecting on what must be changed of improved if the goal of lowering poverty can be realized.
Joselias Sánchez [es] is a teacher and journalist in Manta and elaborates upon three points of what he has seen during the Ecuadorian elections. He writes that the results are not surprising and adds on some statistics:
Su triunfo, inobjetable ratifica su poderosa subyugación sobre los ciudadanos ecuatorianos. Según el exitpoll a boca de urna, el 55,2 por ciento de los 10 millones 591 mil electores sufragaron a favor del Mandatario – candidato. Está masa electoral está integrada por 9 millones 111 mil 162 ciudadanos, 715 mil 972 analfabetos y, cuatro sectores que, por primera vez sufragan por así disponerlo la Constitución: 55 mil 066 militares, 39 mil 501 policías, 507 mil 534 adolescentes entre 13 a 18 años, y 86 mil 426 extranjeros con cinco o más años de residencia en el país.
Bloggers are also taking a closer look at the results. Fatima Efigenia [es] points to the difference in the percentage of votes that Correa received during this election and his favorable rating and the previous Constitutional Referendum, where Correa has been receiving close to 70%
Among those who did not support Correa is Santhros of Autentico Ecuatoriano [es] who criticizes the goal of socialism from the administration, saying that Karl Marx would laugh at his current version. He thinks that Correa's socialism does not work for everyone, just for determined groups:
Donde no hay justicia de tribunal, no hay justicia social. Un estado engrosado acompaña a una economia raquitizada. Solo la producción elimina la pobreza. Solo la educación capacita a los ciudadanos a ejercer sus derechos y cumplir sus obligaciones en democracia. El único ser que te puede sacar de la pobreza material estará siempre frente a ti en el espejo. Las buenas intenciones mal encaminadas producen mas muertos y desatres que una guerrila. Hasta Pinochet, Stalin y Pol Pot pudieron haber tenido buenas intenciones.
Poverty is not the only issue on the minds of Ecuadorians who went to the polls to elect leaders to be able to solve them. The re-elected President still faces serious problems including the ongoing issue of crime. There is an Ecuadorian living in Spain who shares his experiences and calls attention to young people in Ecuador about importance of dialogue, even with the opposition. He has special advice for all on how to solve the important issue of crime. Christian Gallegos writes [es]:
…Una es que los jóvenes que ingresan al mundo laboral no tienen trabajo, y el segundo es que la manera de pensar en la juventud Ecuatoriana es muy acomplejada en un gran colectivo los típicos < < aniñados de casa de caña>>, que creen que por trabajar en construcción, barrenderos, etc., pasan a ser de otro grupo social. Aquí en España donde vivo ya hace 10 años, todo esto es diferente, la juventud trabaja en lo que sea, para así tener dinero el fin de mes y disfrutar de la vida, ahorrar y muchas cosas mas que con dinero se puede hacer, !ese tenia que ser el pensamiento de todos los jóvenes Ecuatorianos¡, y así hacer de Ecuador un país mas productivo y desarrollado.
