Ecuador: Humour and Election Time · Global Voices
Daniela Gallardo

[All links lead to Spanish language pages unless otherwise noted]
Election time is experienced in a very particular way in Ecuador. Other than mobilised caravans and ongoing debates between candidates aspiring to presidency, humour and satire are ever present in the political campaigns. Media sites, such as La República, Diario Hoy and Expreso [all national newspapers], reported that the National Electoral Council (CNE) decided to censure the video ¨La Feriatta¨, after the national director of the movement CREO denounced it, calling it a dirty campaign against the the presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso. The CNE also vetoed the video ¨The Little King and His Court¨, considered an attack on the president and candidate for reelection, Rafael Correa.
La Feriatta can be found on YouTube channel Politically Incorrect:
The Little King and His Court is available on the YouTube channel of presidential candidate, Alberto Acosta:
On the other hand, the adapted picture of Maria Paula Romo (@mariapaularomo) -candidate of the Ruptura25 movement (@RupturaEC)- went viral on social media networks after moustaches were painted on her. Supporters of the movement, with the tag #lookruptura25 and #atrevetearomper [dare to break], decided to demonstrate their support publishing similar photos wearing moustaches.
Sofía Merino (@sophymerino) published her support of the movement Ruptura25 through her Twitter account:
@sophymerino: @rupturaEC #lookruptura25, #atrevetearomper twitpic.com/bz3fh4
Photo of Sofía Merino R @Sophymerino
Bernarda Ordóñez (@BernardaOM), like other users, shared her photo sporting a moustache:
@BernardaOM: #lookruptura25 @maiapaularomo @felipeabrilm @RupturaEC pic.twitter.com/l13aKOHm
Photo of Bernarda Ordóñez M @BernardaOM
The user Andrés Zambrano (@_Andreswz) also joined #lookruptura25:
@_Andreswz: @VanArellano I already have a moustache #LookRuptura25 pic.twitter.com/ReH2mixf
Photo of Andrés Zambrano @_Andreswz
On the Facebook page Ruptura de los 25 [Rupture of the 25], the gallery #LookRuptura25 with images of citizens with moustaches was published in support of the movement.
On January 30, 2013, El Universo published a letter to the director in its caricature section. The letter was sent by two candidates, Rafael Correa and Jorge Glas, requesting that the paper published an apology for their damaged image as a result of Xavier Bonilla's caricature. It also mentioned the cases of plagiarism which involved Pedro Delgado the ex-President from Ecuador's Central Bank; his running mate Jorge Glas; Fernando Alvarado, Communication Secretary and his brother, Vinicio Alvarado, National Secretary of Public Administration. The press opted to publish the complete letter, which generated various reactions.
Xavier Bonilla (@bonilcaricatura) published the caricature that bothered the candidates on his Twitter account:
@bonilcaricatura: The drawing which bothered His Majesty pic.twitter.com/LvYD0FW7
Caricature taken by the Twitter user Xavier Bonilla (@bonilcaricatura)
Humour, satire and a few fines are all part of the environment experienced in Ecuador just a few weeks away from the public choosing their new president, vice-president and other assembly members, after analyzing each of their proposals.