The electoral authority of Ecuador unanimously approved on Wednesday night the candidacy of journalist Christian Zurita for the presidential election this Sunday, replacing Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot dead a week ago as he left a rally in Quito.
“Unanimously and based on the report put to our consideration, we qualified the presidential candidacy of @christianzr, sponsored by the @Construye_Ecu Movement, to participate in the #EleccionesAnticipadas2023Ec“, expressed the head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Diana Atamaint, through the X network (formerly Twitter).
The agency said in a statement that “denied the objection filed against the nomination, since the candidate is not affiliated or adhered to any political organization. Consequently, the qualification of his candidacy was approved, after verifying compliance with the requirements set forth in the current electoral regulations.“.
Prior to the approval of the 53-year-old Zurita’s candidacy, the CNE itself gave free rein to his presidential aspirations by dismissing an appeal filed by the forces of former president Rafael Correa (2007-2017) to prevent his candidacy.
Correísmo claimed that Zurita appeared registered with the center-right Renovación Total (Reto) party and not with Construye, which gives presidential endorsement, for which reason he incurred double militancy.
Villavicencio’s face, however, will be the one that will appear on the electoral ballots instead of Zurita’s, since the ballots have already been printed, reported the CNE.
AFP
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