Two members of a polling station in Quito count the votes. Author: AFP

KITO, 6 February. — The victory of Civil Revolution candidates for the mayoral posts of Quito and Guayaquil, as well as in the prefectures of the provinces of Pichincha and Guayas, which are home to more than 40 percent of the country’s population, was noted on Monday among the most outstanding records of the precinct elections held in Ecuador the day before, while the preliminary the tally showed a probable victory for the NO in a constitutional referendum proposed the same day by President Guillermo Lasso.

Partial results published by local newspaper El Comercio showed a general push by progressive forces in Sunday’s local elections, as Pashakutik, the political arm of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Konaye), also won seats, among other groups on the right.

However, the position of Revolución Ciudadana (RC), a movement led by Rafael Correa, whose registration was derailed during the reign of Lenin Moreno and barely materialized in 2021, has become clear when it can now be observed at various points on the country’s political map.

His candidates also received the prefectures of Manabi, Azuay, Santo Domingo de Chachilas, Sucumbios and Santa Elena, as well as the mayor’s office of this province and El Oro in Machala, when the counts had not yet completed the definition of some positions.

Overall, the so-called correísmo won a double victory, gaining mayors and prefectures in Quito, Guayaquil, Pichincha, Santa Elena and Guayas.

On her Twitter account, Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez was one of the first to react: “Great victory for the Civil Revolution in the local elections in Ecuador. Congratulations to @MashiRafael (Rafael Correa) and a brotherly hug to the candidates.”

Additionally, on Sunday, Ecuadorians voted to nominate new members of the Council for Civic Participation and Public Control (CPCCS), one of the issues included in a referendum proposed by Lasso that sought to change their choice.

Until Monday, however, preliminary tally showed a “no” victory on each of the eight issues contained in the consultation, which is seen as a failure of the president to implement constitutional reform aimed primarily at improving his image, according to local analysts.

The scourge of violence and organized crime, which today is the main concern of citizens, was not put to a referendum because the proposal to approve extradition to the United States – the first item on the questionnaire – is not considered a remedy for the social ills suffered by the nation.

This disaster took place just hours before election day, when a young candidate for the mayor of Puerto López from the Civil Revolution movement, Omar Menendez, was assassinated, thus becoming the sixth death of the campaign among the applicants.

The crime was immediately exposed by this political force, which demanded that the authorities launch an investigation to identify the persons involved.

Source: Juventud Rebelde