From nine in the morning, Ecuadorian citizens residing in the Region began to go to the polls this Saturday to vote in the second round of the presidential elections in their country. A total of 28,906 Ecuadorians who live in the Community and registered on the electoral roll must choose between the left-wing lawyer Luisa González—sponsored by former president Rafael Correa—and the young right-wing businessman Daniel Noboa, who, clearly, starts with a certain advantage after the celebration of the first round.
Four locations have been set up in the Region for these elections. In Murcia, the Víctor Villegas Auditorium; the Hotel Los Habaneros, in Cartagena; the Hotel Jardines de Lorca, and the Hotel Monreal de Jumilla.
Patricio Villegas, vice consul of Ecuador in the Region, explained this Sunday at the headquarters of the capital that, until 1:00 p.m., some 6,000 Ecuadorians had voted in the Region. «There are many more votes compared to previous elections. The Ecuadorian community has taken their right to vote abroad very seriously and they have been present since nine in the morning, continuously. Until mid-morning, the day passed without incident “within the framework of respect for what the electoral regulations say” in a “very organized and coordinated” process, said the vice consul.
This Sunday’s presidential elections, Villegas explained, are “unique, in the sense that they are early elections.” Last May, former president Guillermo Lasso called for early elections and the candidate who is elected at the polls will decide the destiny of the country for the next 18 months. “The population is very expectant and waiting for the results of the elections to lead to a significant change in the country, especially on the path to peace,” said Villegas.
The terror of the gangs
The serious security crisis that the country is suffering may be one of the explanations for the increase in participation in the elections that seek a change of government that will address the main problem for the population. This is stated by David Ernesto, an Ecuadorian who has resided in the Region for 22 years. «In my country we have the problems of corruption, drug cartels and crime due to bad governments that have not wanted to stop them. “I hope that the government that is elected will take the reins and solve them.” Furthermore, since the end of the pandemic, a new phenomenon has plunged the population into fear, which deepens the deep security crisis.
This is highlighted by Mercedes Garcés, who had to close her business in Ecuador due to the proliferation of armed gangs that threaten merchants if they are not paid a kind of tax. “They call it ‘the vaccine.’ If you don’t give them the money they ask for, they point you to the business with a piece of paper. “That means they can put a bomb on you, they can kidnap you, they can kill you and your family.” Mercedes claims that she had to leave her country and come to Spain with a relative because she did not have the money for a debt that a gang was demanding from her.
Juani López, 57, confirms that the Ecuadorian Government did not stop gang street violence, which increased after the Covid-19 health crisis, and criminal groups grew to take over the streets of the cities. «There is no security in the country, and the gangs are growing, they are forming groups and they extort businessmen. Many families have had to flee, they are emigrating, because the Government does not react, it is corrupt, because it cannot be that you are unsafe in your own country.
#Ecuadorians #vote #Region #Murcia #elections #marked #security #crisis #country