By Alexandra Valencia
QUITO, Feb 24 (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”.
Venezuela has been shaken by a fortnight of violent
opposition protests over inflation, crime and economic shortages
that its socialist President Nicolas Maduro has blamed on
“fascists” seeking a coup with the backing of the United States.
But analysts say the defeat reflects dissatisfaction among
the electorate over the Correa administration’s perceived
interference in local government and over his harsh criticism of
opponents during the campaign.
Ecuador is the smallest member of the OPEC group of oil
producing nations, with output averaging 520,000 barrels per day
in January.
Former presidential candidate and lawyer Mauricio Rodas, 38,
was elected mayor of Quito with 58.9 percent of the vote and
Jaime Nebot secured re-election in Guayaquil with 57.5 percent
of votes counted by late on Sunday, according to the National
Electoral Council.
In the industrial city of Cuenca, Mauricio Cabrera had won
44.4 percent of votes, it said.
Correa said his movement had won the majority of city halls
in the provinces but appeared to acknowledge the losses in the
three biggest cities as a rebuke by the electorate.
“The biggest mistake we can make is believing that
everything is won. It’s good that they gave us this shake-up so
that it is known that nothing is yet irreversible and this is
the revolution’s big challenge,” said Correa, who had appeared
prominently in the campaign to support his party’s candidates.
But that failed to ensure re-election for outgoing Quito
mayor Barrero whose management of the city steadily lost him
popularity.
The elections were disputed by 5,651 candidates for the
posts of prefect or governor, mayor or council member.
Correa had warned in the run-up to the elections that defeat
in the capital city could make it harder to govern if opposition
leaders used their power to destabilize the country, a “tactic”
he said was behind the protests in Venezuela.
Incoming Quito mayor Rodas denied he would seek to use his
post to destabilize the government and said he would focus on
working for the good of the city.
Guayaquil victor Nebot, who has frequently clashed with
Correa over projects to develop the city, in turn warned Correa
to avoid meddling in local government.
“Never will I interfere with (Correa’s) functions because
I’m a democrat. Don’t interfere with mine,” he said.
(Additional reporting by Jose Llangari; Writing by Peter
Murphy; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
