Ecuador opposition wins big local races in blow to Correa

[Marksman_91]

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140223/ecuador-opposition-wins-big-local-races-blow-correa

Opposition candidates won mayoral races in three major cities in Ecuador on Sunday, including the capital Quito, in a major blow to President Rafael Correa, exit polls showed.

In a tough test of his popularity, the hardest since the leftist economist took office in 2007, center-right candidates defeated Correa allies in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, private pollsters Cedatos, Market and Opinion Publica reported.

Mauricio Rodas, 39, was projected to take 58 percent of the vote in the capital city, home to 2.2 million people, to outdo incumbent Augusto Barrera, at 40 percent, according to an average of exit polls.

In Guayaquil, with 2.3 million people, opposition Mayor Jaime Nebot looked set to clinch reelection, with 60 percent, against 38 percent for Correa ally Viviana Bonilla.

Cuenca, with some 712,000 people, also likely went to opposition hands with Marcelo Cabrera earning 51 percent against Paul Granda. He was seeking reelection but netted 46 percent, pollsters said.

Quito's mayor, joined by Correa, conceded defeat.

"We recognize... the results as they are being broadcast," Barrera said at the Alianza Pais (Nation Alliance) party headquarters.

Re-elected last year for a final four-year term -- the constitution prevents him from staying on longer -- Correa has said that losing the capital to the opposition would threaten stability.

Under Correa, Ecuador has pared its ties with the United States and has joined new regional blocs with other like-minded leftist governments, such as that of Venezuela.

Hmm, guess the idea of the Glorious Bolivarian Revolution is losing steam even amongst its allies.

[Bacchus4.0]

1. I think he is still pretty popular in Ecuador, although it looks like his party took a beating

I don't think the association with chavismo is helping him much, particularly not anymore.

[Paolo123]

2. what's your proble with Correa?

He seems to be doing a good job.

[springchick]

3. Correa seems to be doing a pretty good job as President,

Last edited Mon Feb 24, 2014, 10:17 AM - Edit history (1)

the economy is humming along, crime rate is low and he remains popular with the people as a whole.

[Bacchus4.0]

5. Ecuador, not Peru. Peru's economy is even better and they have a leftist guy

who succeeded another center leftist. Interesting while Peru really has boomed recently, Garcia was not popular and Humala isn't particularly popular. Their poverty reductions have been most impressive in the region but we don't hear too much about them on DU because they are not loud mouthed, corrupt, anti-US pendejos like in Venezuela and Cuba.

[springchick]

6. Oops, you're right,

I'll edit. Thanks.

[Bacchus4.0]

7. no problem, happy to have you here n/t

[Bacchus4.0]

4. he was educated in the US, like Lopez though so he must be suspect

That's the line we hear about Lopez anyway. Correa and others in the region have been rather tepid about Venezuela. That unity thing we hear about all the time doesn't seem applicable in this case.

[Bacchus4.0]

8. more on this

http://news.yahoo.com/correa-government-loses-ecuador-capital-local-election-133648249.html

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's opposition won control of the capital Quito and one other major city in the oil-producing Andean nation in elections on Sunday, preliminary results showed, in a blow to the socialist government of President Rafael Correa.

Opposition candidates won elections to run the local governments of the capital Quito and industrial city Cuenca, and maintained control of the economic capital and port city of Guayaquil in an unsettling result for the government.

"Quito is an important setback for the Citizen's Revolution because it is important for stability," Correa, speaking to reporters at the headquarters of his Alianza Pais or Country Alliance party, said in reference to his socialist political project for the country.

Correa said the loss of Quito could make the country "ungovernable" and accused associates of the winner, Mauricio Rodas, of links with the "fascist right" wing in Venezuela, saying they were "counting the days for the government to fall".

[Bacchus4.0]

9. put his foot in his mouth, said opposition win in Quito would make it

ungovernable

[fascisthunter]

10. sounds like wishful and suggestive thinking

regarding your last sentence... miss