Ecuadoreans Vote for New President in Election Marred by Candidate’s Murder

By Alexandra Valencia and Julia Symmes Cobb

QUITO (Reuters) – Ecuadoreans go to the polls on Sunday to decide on a brand new president and legislature they hope will lead the nation out of a spiral of violence and financial troubles, after a marketing campaign darkened by bloodshed.

Candidates have pledged to struggle sharp will increase in crime, which the present authorities blames on drug gangs, and enhance the struggling financial system, whose woes have brought on an uptick in unemployment and migration.

Safety has taken heart stage within the contest for the reason that Aug. 9 homicide of anti-corruption candidate Fernando Villavicencio, a former investigative journalist and lawmaker, who was gunned down whereas leaving a marketing campaign occasion.

Six suspects, all Colombians police say belong to felony gangs, are being held within the homicide. One other suspect died of accidents sustained within the shootout.

Different candidates have reported assaults in opposition to them, although in a number of instances police have mentioned that violence was not directed on the hopefuls themselves.

“It makes me so ashamed that the nation goes this fashion and deteriorating due to unhealthy governments,” mentioned Monica Barba, 47, who mentioned she hoped the social gathering of former President Rafael Correa would win.

Luisa Gonzalez, a protegee of Correa, led polling earlier than Villavicencio’s homicide with about 30% of voting intention.

She has promised to unlock $2.5 billion from worldwide reserves to bolster Ecuador’s financial system, in addition to convey again social packages carried out by Correa – who has since been convicted of corruption – throughout his decade in energy.

Professional-market candidate Otto Sonnenholzner has hardened his discourse since Villavicencio’s homicide, repeatedly promising that criminals who use violence can be shot by police beneath his authorities.

Legislation and order candidate Jan Subject, who says he was a member of the French International Legion, has pledged to unravel safety issues first, whereas Daniel Noboa, son of outstanding banana businessman and former candidate Alvaro Noboa, has centered his marketing campaign on job creation.

Environmentalist Indigenous candidate Yaku Perez has mentioned he would revise mining concessions that don’t adjust to environmental and social guidelines and ask collectors for respiratory room.

“The brand new president should suggest issues which might be actual, not simply phrases,” mentioned college scholar Menaly Luge, 18, who’s voting for Villavicencio’s Construye social gathering. “Our nation is struggling an financial disaster and a lot crime… We want extra alternatives for younger individuals, we do not need to migrate.”

Christian Zurita, who changed Villavicencio, has promised to higher equip the police and enshrine intelligence protocols to struggle crime, utilizing worldwide loans to shore up social packages.

Villavicencio’s title and picture will seem on the ballots, which had been printed earlier than his homicide.

Additionally on Sunday’s poll are two environmental referendums – each anticipated to move – which may block mining in a forest close to Quito and improvement of an oil block within the Amazon.

The 13 million-strong voters will even select 137 members of the nationwide meeting. Voting is obligatory for these between 18 and 65 and authorities have mentioned 100,000 police and navy will guard polling locations.

A candidate wants 50% of the vote, or 40% if they’re 10 factors forward of their nearest rival, to win in a primary spherical. In any other case, a second spherical will happen on Oct. 15.

(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia and Julia Symmes Cobb; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb and Oliver Griffin; Enhancing by William Mallard)

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