Correa Wins Majority in Ecuador Vote to Rewrite Constitution

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Bloomberg

Correa Wins Majority in Ecuador Vote to Rewrite Constitution

By Stephan Kueffner

Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa won backing for his plans to rewrite the country's constitution and expand state control of the Andean nation's economy

Delegates linked to Correa won at least 79 of the 130 seats in yesterday's election to form a national assembly, according to an exit poll by Santiago Perez Investigaciones y Estudios, a pollster close to the administration. Results tallied by non- governmental organization Participacion Ciudadana were similar, giving Correa about 60 percent of the seats.

The assembly, which will revamp the country's constitution for the third time since 1978, fulfills Correa's campaign pledge last year to craft a new basic law that bolsters political stability and purges traditional ``elites'' from power. Correa has said the new constitution will end central bank independence and lift the bar on re-election of a sitting president.

``The people of Ecuador have won the mother of all battles,'' Correa told reporters at the presidential palace in Quito last night.
(snip)

The president, who last week said at a news conference in New York that he would resign if he failed to win a majority of the seats, said the result was `overwhelming.''



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=ahC.qiXINCA8&refer=latin_america

[Peace Patriot]

1. It's wonderful how transparent vote counting works!

The will of the people actually gets done, and their interests actually get attended to.

U.S. voters, take note.

[Robbien]

2. No Central Bank! Ha!

A great first step to throwing off the global corporate greedy bastards.

[David__77]

4. No, there will be a central bank - accountable to the people.

The Federal Reserve is quasi-private entity unlike the original national banks in this country.

[bemildred]

3. Democracy in action.

:applause:

[Judi Lynn]

5. Ecuador poll backs the Chavez route to reform

Ecuador poll backs the Chavez route to reform

· President hails victory as early results come in
· Voters select members of body to alter constitution

Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent
Tuesday October 2, 2007
The Guardian

Voters in Ecuador appear to have backed an attempt to redesign the country along socialist lines, giving fresh impetus to the surge of Latin America's "pink tide".
Exit polls showed President Rafael Correa's coalition heading for a majority in an assembly which is to write a new constitution. If confirmed, it would bolster his leftwing agenda and give Washington another Latin American headache.

Several projections predicted that Mr Correa's National Alliance slate would win more than 70 of the 130 seats, putting his supporters in the driving seat of a plan to transform one of the region's most politically volatile countries.

The charismatic economist turned president is a scathing critic of the Bush administration and an admirer of Venezuela's outspoken socialist leader, Hugo Chavez. He has promised not to renew the lease on a small US military base.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2181483,00.html

[Judi Lynn]

6. The Washington Post, in its vast graciousness, has bestowed upon us a chance to read an interview

their own special Lally Weymouth conducted, using excerpts, with Rafael Correa. We are not worthy!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/30/AR2007093001042.html?hpid=opinionsbox1



Ecuador's President Rafael Correa



Lally Weymouth

[Judi Lynn]

7. More questions from Lally Weymouth to Rafael Correa, published elsewhere:

http://www.stockhouse.com/bullboards/viewmessage.asp?no=15717561&t=0&all=0&TableID=0

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21047611/site/newsweek/page/0/