Ecuador: Union for Hope Awaits Decision to Contest Elections

Ecuador's Contentious Electoral Tribunal (TCE) partially accepted Sunday a claim against the progressive coalition Union for Hope (UNES), thus delaying again the participation of running mates Andres Arauz- Carlos Rabascall in the presidential elections to be held in February next year. 

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The legal appeal was filed by citizens Carlos Arboleda and Wilson Freire who argued that the Social Commitment Force (FCS), a party which is also a member of UNES, was eliminated by the National Electoral Council (CNE) after accepting a report by the Comptroller's Office.

TCE judges pointed out that the CNE incurred a 'procedural defect' by preparing a single report to resolve the complaints filed by the Now Movement (NM) President Michael Aulestia and those by Arboleda and Freire.

TCE decided to grant a period of three days for the NEC to issue a final decision on Arboleda-Freire's request.

The meme reads, "In the land of 'psychic influences', the judges have lost their shame. Instead of resolving, the TCE returns the appeal against Union for Hope to the CNE. They see impossible to eliminate the Alliance and seek to burn time to suspend elections."

Through an open letter, published on Sunday, Latin American leftist leaders expressed their concerns about the obstacles experienced by UNES presidential candidates in order to contest the elections. 

Former Presidents Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Fernando Lugo (Paraguay), José Mujica (Uruguay), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Tabare Vasquez (Uruguay), and Alvaro Colom (Guatemala) are among the signatories of the document. 

"A few weeks before the election, it is not healthy for a democracy that the presidential options are not clearly defined so that citizens have the necessary time to make such a transcendental decision,' the document indicated.