Ecuador Votes on Constituent Assembly
Ecuador Votes on Constituent Assembly
President Rafael Correa claimed victory after voters went to the polls to select members of a constitutional assembly. Although official results were not yet available, Correa's Alianza Pais party appeared poised to gain the necessary majority to rewrite the country's constitution. Correa discussed refinancing Ecuador's debt during a speech at AS/COA last week.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa claimed victory after voters went to the polls for legislative elections to select a constitutional assembly. Although official results were not yet available, Correa's Alianza Pais party appeared poised to gain the necessary majority—at least 66 out of 130 assembly seats—to rewrite the country's constitution. The assembly is expected to disband the National Congress and draft a constitution that could allow greater government control over natural resources and end one-term limits for presidents. Debate on the draft could begin in November and approval of the new constitution requires two-thirds vote in a public referendum. The president's call to rewrite the constitution won 82 percent of a referendum vote in April.
