

Currently released so far... 12900 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
2011/05/13
2011/05/14
2011/05/15
2011/05/16
2011/05/17
2011/05/18
2011/05/19
2011/05/20
2011/05/21
2011/05/22
2011/05/23
2011/05/24
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AE
ASEC
AS
AR
AMGT
AFIN
AORC
AU
AG
AF
APER
ABLD
ADCO
ABUD
AM
AID
AJ
AEMR
AMED
AL
ASUP
AN
AIT
ACOA
ANET
ASIG
AA
AGMT
AINF
AFFAIRS
ADANA
AY
AADP
ARF
ACS
AGR
AMCHAMS
AECL
AUC
APEC
APECO
AFGHANISTAN
ACAO
ASEAN
ADM
AGAO
AND
ADPM
ATRN
ALOW
AROC
APCS
AORG
AO
AODE
ACABQ
AX
AMEX
AZ
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
ACBAQ
AFSI
AFSN
AC
ASEX
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
ASCH
AFU
AMG
ATPDEA
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AORL
BR
BO
BA
BM
BL
BH
BK
BEXP
BILAT
BTIO
BF
BU
BD
BY
BE
BG
BB
BBSR
BT
BRUSSELS
BP
BX
BC
BIDEN
BMGT
BWC
BN
BTIU
CA
CS
CO
CD
CR
CPAS
CDG
CI
CDC
CBW
CU
CVIS
CE
CONS
CH
CMGT
CASC
CY
CW
CG
CJAN
CIDA
CODEL
CWC
CIA
CBSA
CEUDA
CFED
CLINTON
CAC
CL
CACS
CIC
CHR
CAPC
CM
CT
CTR
COM
CROS
CN
COPUOS
CV
CF
CARSON
CONDOLEEZZA
CICTE
CYPRUS
COUNTER
COUNTRY
CBE
CKGR
CVR
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITEL
CLEARANCE
COE
CARICOM
CB
CSW
CITT
CACM
CDB
CJUS
CTM
CAN
CLMT
CBC
CNARC
CIS
EFIN
ECON
ETRD
EAID
EC
EU
EUN
EINV
EG
ETTC
EIND
ELAB
EAGR
ECIN
EINT
ENRG
EFIS
ELTN
EAIR
EPET
EZ
ET
ENERG
ECPS
EWWT
EI
ETRN
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EEPET
EUNCH
ER
ES
EN
EMIN
ESENV
ENNP
ENGR
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENVI
ECINECONCS
ELN
EFTA
ELECTIONS
ENVR
EXTERNAL
ENIV
ESA
EPA
ETRO
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUR
ECUN
EXIM
EK
EUREM
ECONOMY
EUMEM
ERNG
EFINECONCS
EAIDS
ECA
ETRC
EINVEFIN
ETC
EAP
EINN
ECONOMIC
EXBS
ENGY
ECONOMICS
EIAR
EINDETRD
ECONEFIN
EURN
EDU
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ECIP
EFIM
EREL
EINVETC
ECONCS
ETRA
EAIG
EUC
ERD
IQ
IR
IS
IN
IA
IC
IZ
ICRC
ID
IDA
IT
IO
IAEA
ICJ
ICAO
IV
IBRD
IMF
IAHRC
IWC
ILO
ISLAMISTS
IGAD
ILC
ITU
ITF
INRA
INRO
ICTY
INRB
ITALY
IBET
IL
INTELSAT
ISRAELI
IMO
IDP
ICTR
ITRA
IRC
IRAQI
IEFIN
IPR
IIP
INMARSAT
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
INTERNAL
IRS
INTERPOL
IEA
INR
ISRAEL
IZPREL
IRAJ
IF
ITPHUM
IACI
INDO
KPAO
KMDR
KCOR
KNNP
KJUS
KCRM
KDEM
KVPR
KTFN
KPRP
KTIP
KSCA
KSUM
KTEX
KIDE
KIRF
KV
KTIA
KN
KG
KFRD
KWMN
KUNR
KISL
KU
KGHG
KPKO
KOMS
KPAL
KIPR
KMCA
KOMC
KRVC
KSEP
KAWC
KOLY
KWBG
KACT
KFLO
KHIV
KZ
KGIC
KBCT
KDRG
KBTR
KCFE
KE
KHLS
KMPI
KAWK
KPWR
KIRC
KRAD
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFLU
KPLS
KRIM
KSTH
KDDG
KPRV
KICC
KS
KSAF
KBIO
KREC
KCGC
KCIP
KTDB
KWAC
KPAI
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFSC
KSTC
KMFO
KID
KNAR
KMIG
KVRP
KNEI
KGIT
KNSD
KHDP
KSAC
KWMM
KR
KCOM
KAID
KENV
KVIR
KHSA
KO
KCRS
KPOA
KTER
KFIN
KSPR
KTBT
KX
KCMR
KMOC
KCRCM
KBTS
KSEO
KOCI
KNUP
KPAONZ
KNUC
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KSCI
KTLA
KCSY
KTRD
KMRS
KNPP
KJUST
KRCM
KCFC
KCHG
KREL
KFTFN
KLIG
KDEMAF
KGCC
KICA
KHUM
KSEC
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KPIR
KWWMN
KOM
KWNM
KRFD
KRGY
KIFR
KWMNCS
KPAK
MARR
MOPS
MUCN
MCAP
MNUC
MEPP
MTCRE
MASS
MO
MIL
MX
MAS
MEDIA
MAR
MI
MQADHAFI
MPOS
MTCR
MK
MG
MA
MY
MU
ML
MPS
MW
MD
MARAD
MC
MR
MT
MTRE
MASC
MRCRE
MAPP
MZ
MP
MOPPS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MEPN
MEPI
MEETINGS
MERCOSUR
MCC
MIK
MAPS
MV
MILITARY
MDC
MASSMNUC
NI
NZ
NL
NO
NPT
NATO
NS
NU
NP
NPA
NSFO
NDP
NT
NW
NASA
NSG
NE
NORAD
NAFTA
NG
NATIONAL
NSSP
NV
NSF
NK
NA
NEW
NPG
NR
NGO
NIPP
NZUS
NH
NC
NRR
NAR
NATOPREL
NSC
OIIP
OPRC
OTRA
OEXC
OREP
OSCE
OVIP
OPAD
OBSP
OECD
OFFICIALS
OAS
OPDC
ODIP
OPCW
OES
OFDP
OPIC
OCS
OIC
OHUM
OSCI
OVP
ODC
OIE
OTR
OMIG
OSAC
OFDA
ON
OCII
PREL
PINR
PGOV
PARM
PE
PTER
PHUM
PO
PINS
PREF
PK
PM
POL
PBTS
PNAT
PHSA
PAS
PA
PL
PGIV
PHUMPREL
POGOV
PAK
PEL
PROP
PP
PINL
PBT
PTBS
PG
PINF
PRL
PALESTINIAN
PSEPC
POSTS
PAHO
PHUMPGOV
PGOC
PNR
PREFA
PMIL
POLITICS
POLICY
PROV
PBIO
PREO
PAO
PDOV
PGOF
POV
PCI
PRAM
PSI
POLITICAL
PAIGH
PJUS
PARMS
PROG
PTERE
PRGOV
PORG
PS
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PNG
PFOR
PUNE
PGOVLO
PHUMBA
POLINT
PGOVE
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PDEM
PECON
PY
PLN
PHUH
PF
PHUS
PU
PARTIES
PCUL
PGGV
PSA
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
RU
RS
REGION
REACTION
REPORT
RO
RW
RCMP
RSO
RP
RM
ROOD
RFE
RICE
ROBERT
RSP
RF
RELATIONS
RIGHTS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
RUPREL
SENV
SY
SNAR
SCUL
SP
SF
SW
SOCI
SU
SMIG
SO
SA
SR
SZ
SI
SC
SEVN
SN
STEINBERG
SK
SH
SNARCS
SPCE
SARS
SNARN
SG
SL
SYRIA
SIPRS
SAARC
SNARIZ
SWE
SYR
SEN
SCRS
SAN
ST
SIPDIS
SSA
SPCVIS
SOFA
SENVKGHG
SANC
SHI
SHUM
TU
TSPA
TBIO
TS
TRGY
TINT
TPHY
TN
TW
TH
TZ
TSPL
TP
TBID
TI
TF
TD
TT
TNGD
TL
TC
THPY
TIP
TX
TV
TK
TERRORISM
TO
TRSY
TURKEY
TFIN
TAGS
TR
UK
UNSC
UNGA
UNESCO
UNHRC
UP
UN
USTR
US
UNDC
UY
UNICEF
UNDP
UNMIK
UNAUS
UNCHC
UNCSD
USOAS
UNFCYP
UG
UNIDROIT
UNO
UV
UNHCR
UNEP
USEU
UZ
UNCND
USUN
UNCHR
USNC
USPS
USAID
UE
UNVIE
UAE
UNODC
UNCHS
UNFICYP
UNDESCO
UNC
UNPUOS
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09QUITO298, COUNTDOWN TO ELECTIONS; PRESIDENT'S RACE FOREGONE
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09QUITO298.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09QUITO298 | 2009-04-27 12:09 | 2011-04-20 18:30 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Quito |
Appears in these articles: http://www.eluniverso.com/2011/04/20/1/1355/cable-204247.html |
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHQT #0298/01 1171209
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271209Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0304
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8115
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4161
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3520
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR LIMA 3172
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4287
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000298
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: TEN YEARS
TAGS: PGOV KPLS OAS EC
SUBJECT: COUNTDOWN TO ELECTIONS; PRESIDENT'S RACE FOREGONE
CONCLUSION
Classified By: Ambassador Heather Hodges for reason 1.4 (D)
¶1. (SB...
id: 204247
date: 4/27/2009 12:09
refid: 09QUITO298
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHQT #0298/01 1171209
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271209Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0304
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8115
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4161
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3520
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR LIMA 3172
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4287
----------------- header ends ----------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000298
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: TEN YEARS
TAGS: PGOV KPLS OAS EC
SUBJECT: COUNTDOWN TO ELECTIONS; PRESIDENT'S RACE FOREGONE
CONCLUSION
Classified By: Ambassador Heather Hodges for reason 1.4 (D)
¶1. (SBU) Summary: With four days remaining before the April
26 elections, President Correa sits comfortably ahead of all
other candidates, with polls showing him with enough votes
for a first-round win. Recently arrived international
election observation teams have reported concern with how the
lack of regulation of government propaganda has played to the
favor of the incumbent government; however, fraud on election
day is unlikely. Overall, the presidential campaign has been
lackluster, with little real debate (face to face or
otherwise) on policy issues. Key outcomes to watch are the
size of Correa's margin, and the National Assembly and Quito
mayoral race results. End Summary.
LAST-MINUTE BLUNDER AND CAMPAIGN ADJUSTMENTS
¶2. (SBU) Three opposition political parties were omitted in
sample city council ballots for Ecuador's largest city of
Guayaquil on the Sunday preceding the elections. The party
lists missing were the New Option movement, the Patriotic
Society Party, and most notably, Guayaquil mayor and leading
candidate Jaime Nebot's Social Christian Party and Warrior
Material Movement alliance. The National Electoral Council
took responsibility for the error and the ballot was
reprinted in El Universo, the newspaper in which the faulty
ballot was originally published. However, the reprinted
sample ballot appeared in a small space on an inside page of
the newspaper, while a GOE advertisement praising the
government,s stewardship of the economy took up the
prominent back page of the paper.
¶3. (SBU) On April 16, the National Electoral Council
announced that Correa would be prohibited from transmitting
his weekly radio and TV address the Saturday before
elections, in accordance with electoral rule that no
candidate may make public appearances, or activities with
"proselytizing" characteristics between April 23 and 27.
This is on the heels of a National Electoral Council decision
in late March to fine Correa $650 for criticizing his
presidential opponents during his weekly public address and
its threat to suspend the programs completely if he made any
more references to other candidates. After a public exchange
of critical words with the Council, Correa and his Proud and
Sovereign Fatherland (PAIS) movement submitted an official
appeal to the Electoral Disputes Tribunal on April 6, and
Correa at least avoided referring to his opponents by name
during his April 11 address. The appeal, along with the
March 12 appeal of the "Hey Jude" fine, is still awaiting a
ruling from the Tribunal.
NEW VOTERS EFFECT
¶4. (SBU) New segments of the population, totaling almost one
million of 10.5 million voters expected overall, will be
given the opportunity to vote in the elections as mandated by
the new constitution. Youth between the ages of 16 and 18,
Ecuadorians residing outside of Ecuador, foreigners residing
legally within Ecuador, military and police, and inmates
still awaiting sentences are entitled to go to the polling
booths for the first time on April 26. Although not
obligatory, over half a million youths were registered,
followed by 185,000 external Ecuadorians, nearly 100,000
military and police officers, over 80,000 non-Ecuadorians
with at least five years of legal residence in the country,
and 2,700 inmates. The local NGO, Citizen Participation has
expressed concern with potential voting bias among youths,
whose voter education was suspected to be influenced by the
leftist teachers' union, and the military and police, whose
independence from the government has been questioned in light
of recent increases in their government benefits.
POLLS IN CORREA'S FAVOR
¶5. (SBU) According to all three major polls, Correa has the
necessary 40% of the total votes, plus 10% more than the
runner-up, to win the presidency in the first round. Since
release of polling data was forbidden starting 20 days before
the election, the latest published data is from late March
and early April. At that time, Correa continued to lead the
next closest presidential candidate by 32, 39 and 41 points,
according to polling firms Market, CEDATOS and Santiago
Perez, respectively, and hovered around the 50% total vote
mark by all three. It is likely that Correa will cinch the
Presidency in the first round, with former president Lucio
Gutierrez and banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa trailing far behind.
PRESIDENTIAL WIN, BUT NOT A CLEAN SWEEP
¶6. (SBU) Unlike the expected PAIS presidential victory,
National Assembly seats and local offices continue to be
hotly contested. According to pollster Santiago Perez's data
from April 5, PAIS is slated to win a slight majority within
the legislature (53%), but not enough to block the opposition
from taking initial actions to remove cabinet members. This
outcome would mark a significant decrease from the 61% of
assembly seats they currently hold in the temporary
legislature. PAIS's showing in the CEDATOS poll from March
22 is much lower, with only 30%, but 46% undecided.
¶7. (SBU) At the municipal level, running as part of Correa's
PAIS movement has not necessarily proven to be the golden
ticket for local PAIS candidates. The race for the mayor of
Quito continues to be one of the closest, with the PAIS
candidate Augusto Barrera edging out Antonio Ricaurte 38% to
29% and 31% to 27%, according to Market and CEDATOS
respectively. Current mayor of Guayaquil Jaime Nebot
continues to enjoy a comfortable lead, with nearly 70% of the
vote. In the province of El Oro where Correa has a 63%
approval rating, the PAIS mayoral candidate for the
provincial capital only has 20% support, compared to the
opposition candidate's 70%.
CONCERNS SURFACE FROM PRE-ELECTION OBSERVATION
¶8. (SBU) The two principal international observation missions
by the European Union and the Organization of American States
have both expressed concerns during the pre-election week
with the limited training and resources for the new and
controversial intermediate counting centers (juntas
intermedias). Another major issue raised has been the lack
of clarity in the electoral public finance legislation that
has allowed excessive usage of official government publicity.
One example occurred on the April 21 weekly public service
announcement by the GOE which was essentially a 10-minute
defense of the new criminal code that has been openly
critized by the opposition in the latter half of the
campaign. According to Citizen Participation, Correa's
official campaign has only spent $300,235 of publically
financed election money as of April 17; however, the total
amount of government publicity financed during the same
period reached over $2 million dollars. This corresponds to
almost 2300 minutes of extra air time, or over four times the
amount of the next highest air time of any presidential
candidate.
¶9. (SBU) USG support for this year's election totals over
half a million dollars. The OAS mission received $225,000
from the USOAS, and there will be nine U.S. Embassy and
Consulate volunteer observers. USAID is providing a total of
$269,000 of technical assistance to the GOE National
Electoral Council to implement a country-wide
voters-with-disabilities campaign and to the Electoral
Disputes Tribunal to increase their institutional capacity
through trainings and operational support. The major
domestic observation effort by USAID-supported NGO Citizen
Participation, will have 8,000 observers in all 24 provinces
to monitor election-day proceedings. Citizen Participation
will also conduct a quick count of the presidential and
assembly races that will be produced parallel to the official
GOE count.
COMMENT
¶10. (C) A combination of election fatigue and universal
acceptance of another four years of a Correa presidency has
made for an uninteresting election at the national level.
The lack of new ideas amongst the other presidential
hopefuls, or any sincere attempt to address issues of
concern, has left the Ecuadorian electorate with no
alternative to the status quo. The local campaign races have
proven to be more dynamic, and it is likely that any
substantial opposition to a future Correa administration will
come from local government leaders.
HODGES
=======================CABLE ENDS============================