Seven times Yes in the Referendum
Ecuador will have a popular consultation on February 5th
By Luis Fierro Carrión (*)
Twitter: @Luis_Fierro_C
The first thing to say about the referendum that will take place in Ecuador on February 5 is that it does not constitute a plebiscite on the government of Guillermo Lasso. It doesn't make sense to vote for or against depending on whether you agree with the presidential administration, but based on the content of each specific question. It seems that the electorate agrees with this proposition, given that although the President's popularity is low, according to several polls, there is a majority in favor of most questions.
The second thing is to regret that questions have not been included that promote private investment, the generation of quality employment or that allow an improvement in the quality of life.
In my opinion, the following questions deserve a positive vote:
1. The first question refers to the extradition of persons related to transnational organized crime, such as drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling. Although the impact will be limited, only people linked to these crimes could possibly oppose this measure.
2. The second question seeks to guarantee the autonomy of the Attorney General's Office with respect to the Council of the Judiciary, due to the delay in the appointment of officials. A Prosecution Council would be constituted.
3. The third refers to reducing the number of assembly members, from a projected number of 152 (by 2025, due to population growth) to an estimated number of 121. This could reduce the budget of the Assembly, at the expense of the representation of the provinces with the smallest population. Regarding the assembly members who represent Ecuadorians living abroad, perhaps the number of assembly members could be based on the number of Ecuadorians registered to vote in each jurisdiction, and not on the estimated number of migrants (this would reduce them from 6 to 3).
4. The fourth would seek that political movements be registered if they have a number of affiliates equivalent to 1.5% of the population, a number that would be audited periodically. This would seek to reduce the excessive proliferation of movements, which now reaches 272. Perhaps it would have been more useful to strengthen the electoral threshold requirements.
5. Would seek that the designation of control authorities be made by the National Assembly instead of the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS).
7. Question 7 seeks the creation of a water protection subsystem under state control.
8. Question 8 refers to the possibility of obtaining financial compensation for the provision of environmental services. This would make it possible to generate resources to reforest or maintain forests, and other actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or capture carbon dioxide. It is foolish that the Montecristi Constitution has restricted this environmentally friendly option.
The question with which I do not agree is to change the form of election of the members of the CPCCS. While their power to appoint supervisory authorities could be removed (if question 5 is approved), however, I see no reason to remove the democratic election of such members. A legislative majority like the current one, created by the collusion between Correísmo, the Social Christian Party (PSC), and sectors of Pachakutik and the ID, could appoint advisers related to said groups. What would be better is to eliminate the CPCCS altogether.
It is worth mentioning that those who advocate a No vote on all questions are Correísmo, CONAIE, Popular Unity and the Socialist Party (far-left parties and organizations).
As for the candidacies for the CPCCS (also on the ballots for February 5), there are lawyers who have defended Correa and Glas in their cases for organized crime. It is worth mentioning that Correísmo and the PSC are illegally campaigning in favor of like-minded candidates (and in the case of candidates favorable to Correísmo, they are even using the color and phrases of Correísmo).
(*) A Spanish version of this column was published in the “El Universo” newspaper of Ecuador on January 20, 2023.
https://www.eluniverso.com/opinion/columnistas/siete-veces-si-nota/
Photo courtesy of the National Police of Colombia: Alvaro Córdoba, brother of Chavista lawmaker Piedad Córdoba, is being extradited from Colombia under charges of drug trafficking.