RE: New article7 Apr 2025 17:56
The second round of Ecuador's presidential elections, which will pit current President Daniel Noboa against Luisa González, a representative of Correa's party, will not only decide the next president but will also become an implicit referendum on the Montecristi Constitution.
President Daniel Noboa has announced that, if he wins, he will push for a new Constituent Assembly with the goal of drafting a new Magna Carta, abandoning the current one, which was designed under Rafael Correa's administration. According to Noboa, it is necessary to "leave the Montecristi Constitution behind," as he believes it has been a framework that primarily favored the Citizens' Revolution governments. His proposal for a Constituent Assembly seeks to deepen the reforms he has initiated, particularly in the economic sphere.
"There must be a swift Constituent Assembly, not in the Correa style," stated the president, who defends his liberal approach to the economy.
On the other hand, Luisa González, who belongs to the Correa movement, does not consider the creation of a new Constitution a priority in her government plan. Instead, her focus would be on strengthening the progress made under the current Constitution, which already includes key principles on collective and environmental rights.
If Noboa's initiative is successful, one of the main topics discussed would be the possibility of allowing foreign military bases on Ecuadorian territory, a provision currently prohibited by the Montecristi Constitution. This measure, although viewed by Noboa as a strategy to combat drug trafficking, has drawn criticism from sectors that consider it an infringement on national sovereignty.
Regarding the economy, Noboa would seek to attract private investment to strategic sectors such as electricity and mining, which would allow the country to diversify its sources of income. In contrast, Indigenous peoples oppose these projects, demanding that their right to prior consultation, guaranteed by the Montecristi Constitution, be respected.
The dispute over the Constitution will mark a turning point in the elections, where each candidate has very different visions of the country's future and its legal framework.