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WORLD NEWS Saturday 3 February 2018

Vote in Ecuador turns into heated showdown on term limits

By GONZALO SOLANO and deep trouble.”
CHRISTINE ARMARIO The referendum comes as
Associated Press several countries through-
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Sit- out the region are grap-
ting in his wheelchair on a pling with the issue of elec-
brightly lit stage, Ecuador- tions and term limits for
ean President Lenin More- leaders who have already
no launched into a sermon spent years in office and
about why no political are seeking re-election.
leader should be allowed In Bolivia, a court recently
to remain in office for years paved the way for Presi-
on end. dent Evo Morales to run for
“No one should think they a fourth term despite a vot-
are the owner of power,” er referendum rejecting his
said Moreno, who was clad right to seek another man-
in a black leather jacket. date. In Venezuela, Presi-
Hundreds of cheering sup- dent Nicolas Maduro is run-
porters waved the Ande- ning for office in an elec-
an nation’s flag and sung tion that opposition leaders
along to a campaign tune consider illegitimate. And
urging voters to pass a in Honduras, President Juan
referendum Sunday that Orlando Hernandez was
would prohibit leaders from recently sworn in for a sec- In this Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 photo, Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno sits before supporters
being re-elected more ond term after a Supreme during his closing campaign in favor of a “yes” vote ahead of this weekend’s constitutional
than once. Court ruling allowed him to referendum in Quito, Ecuador.
The jubilant scene Wednes- go around a provision bar- Associated Press
day stood in stark contrast ring presidents from pursu- out. Moreno has courted leaders who joined him. Many voters like Bolivar
to the welcome the na- ing re-election. conservative business lead- Sunday’s referendum in- Ante, an office messenger
tion’s three-time former “There is a huge regional ers and sought to make cludes seven questions, who voted for Moreno’s
President Rafael Correa re- struggle right now over how amends with groups Cor- including one that would conservative opponent,
ceived hours earlier when long leaders should stay in rea shunned. He has even bar politicians from more were initially skeptical, but
protesters hurled eggs and power and about democ- accused Correa of plant- than one re-election to the now say they strongly ap-
dirty plates at his silver SUV. racy in general,” said Brian ing a hidden video camera same post and another prove of the country’s
The upcoming referendum Winter, vice president of in his office in order to spy that would give Moreno head of state.
has brought the one-time the regional group Council on him remotely. authority over the Citizens’ “He’s an open, democratic
allies to a head as Moreno of the Americas. Meanwhile, Correa, who Participation Council. The president,” Ante said.
becomes Latin America’s The small Andean nation had moved to his wife’s na- council is filled with Correa Still, Moreno faces numer-
new political star and Cor- has been ruled over the tive Belgium, has returned acolytes who determine ous challenges: Ecuador’s
rea finds his legacy on in- last decade by Correa, a to rally against the man he who gets to lead some of economy, which uses the
creasingly shaky ground. strongman who won the now calls a “traitor.” the nation’s most important U.S. dollar, has lost its com-
Long expected to follow loyalty of millions of poor “We are going to say no to institutions. petitive edge to neighbor-
Correa’s political lead, Ecuadoreans with gener- this crooked referendum,” Moreno, a paraplegic since ing countries with local cur-
Moreno has instead chart- ous health and social pro- he told supporters recently. being shot in 1998, is enjoy- rencies. Economists project
ed his own path and led grams. Though credited by Analysts believe Correa still ing a near 70 percent ap- the nation’s economy will
a referendum drive that many with helping deliver has the loyalty of about proval rating and has suc- grow only slightly in 2018
could bar his former mentor the nation’s stability, he has 25 percent of Ecuador- ceeded in building bridges and the private sector is
from running for president also been decried by foes ean voters, but the once- between the ideological pushing Moreno to make
again. Polls indicate the for reforms that consolidat- commanding influence he right and left where none tough fiscal decisions, like
referendum is widely ex- ed executive power and exerted over the nation’s existed before. If the refer- raising taxes.
pected to win approval, a silenced his critics. politics is now in question. endum passes Sunday, it Even with a diminished in-
victory that would consoli- Correa campaigned His former vice president, would send a strong state- fluence, Correa is also still
date Moreno’s mandate. alongside Moreno in a pres- Jorge Glas, was recently ment that Ecuadorean vot- likely to cast a shadow over
“In Latin America you nev- idential election last year, sentenced to six years in jail ers approve of Moreno’s Moreno’s presidency.
er know that someone is praising his chosen succes- for accepting bribes from consensus-building man- “Moreno has to strike a re-
going to be out of power sor as the leader best fit to Brazilian construction giant date and are ready to ally careful balance be-
forever,” said Carlos de la ensure the “21st century Odebrecht. Correa has de- move past Correa. tween forging his own path
Torre, a professor at the Uni- socialism” that he imple- fected from the leftist ruling “His legacy is under ques- and alienating the base of
versity of Kentucky. “Politics mented remains intact. But party he founded that is tion by his own party,” de support that he inherited
could change and Correa in the eight months since now under Moreno’s lead- la Torre said of Correa. “We from Correa,” Winter said.
could come back. But at Moreno’s victory, the two ership, vowing to start his are seeing a sort of pere- “I think so far, he’s done a
least in the short run, he is in have had a bitter falling own party with two dozen stroika led by Lenin.” remarkable job.”q