Correismo prevails in Quito and Guayaquil, the two main municipalities of Ecuador

This force also won the prefectures of the provinces of Pichincha and Guayas. In addition, the referendum promoted by Lasso does not achieve the success expected by the Executive.

The Citizen Revolution (RC) movement, whose leader is former President Rafael Correa, prevailed in the sectional elections that were held on Sunday in Ecuador. This force won the mayors of Quito and Guayaquil, the two most populous cities in the South American country.

In Quito, capital of Pichincha and of the South American country, the correista candidate Pabel Munoz is the virtual winner, by prevailing over the other 11 applicants who sought to lead this municipality.

According to the results of the National Electoral Council (CNE), with 97.88% of the tally sheets processed, Munoz reached 25.19% of the votes; In second place is the former mayor of Quito Jorge Yunda, getting 22.19%.

Before being elected mayor of Quito, Munoz, who is a sociologist, served as a legislator in the country’s National Assembly (Parliament), representing Pichincha, from 2017 until September of last year.

Previously, during the Correa government, he directed the National Secretariat for Planning and Development (Senplades) between 2013 and 2015.

Achilles Alvarez

Meanwhile, in Guayaquil, capital of the Guayas province, the advantage in the results went to the candidate Achilles Alvarezwho beat out 10 other contenders.

Alvarez’s victory is considered historic, since it breaks with 30 years of government of the Social Christian Party (PSC) in that municipality, whose last administration is that of the controversial Cynthia Viteri, who was seeking re-election.

According to CNE data, with 92.17% of the tally sheets processed, Alvarez reached 39.77% of the votes, while Viteri was second with 30.31%.

“The change won, Guayaquil won! Thanks to each of the Guayaquilenos for their support, for their vote, for their trust. From today the work for a new and better city begins,” the correista candidate celebrated in his account On twitter.

Alvarez is a businessman and is also known for having been part of the board of directors of the Barcelona Sporting Club, one of the most emblematic soccer teams in Guayaquil and Ecuador.

Also in the prefectures

In addition to the mayors of Quito and Guayaquil, the RC won the prefectures of the provinces of Pichincha and Guayas, which together concentrate more than 40% of the national population, the first with 3.2 million inhabitants and the second with 4.3 million, of the little more than 17.5 million that the country has.

In Pichincha the prefect was re-elected Paola Pabon, who has directed that entity since May 2019; while in Guayas the president of the RC was elected, Marcela Aguinaga.

Aguinaga was Minister of the Environment between 2007 and 2012, during the Correa administration; She subsequently served as an assembly member in two legislative periods, between 2013 and 2021, becoming second vice president of the National Assembly.

In the sectional elections in Ecuador, the prefects and vice-prefects of 23 of the 24 provinces of the country, 221 municipal mayors, 1,307 urban and rural councilors, and 4,109 members of parish councils were elected.

In addition to these elections, a vote was also taken to choose the seven main members and seven substitutes of the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS), an organization that forms part, together with the Ombudsman and the Comptroller, of the function of transparency and social control in Ecuador.

A referendum was also held on the day, promoted by the Ecuadorian president, Guillermo Lasso, which seeks to make amendments to the Constitution on issues of extradition of Ecuadorians, autonomy of the State Attorney General’s Office, reduction in the number of assembly members , changes in the CPCCS and environment.

The first results of the CNE showed a triumph of ‘no’ in all eight questions which were raised; which means a setback for the Executive.

High participation

The president of the CNE, Diana Atamaint, informed that in this electoral process a citizen participation of 80.74% was registered.

“The historical percentage of citizen participation is maintained”highlighted the head of the electoral body.