The Depth of the Ecuadorian Crisis Calls for Unity: Gonzalez

On Wednesday night, former Ecuadorian presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez gave an exclusive interview to teleSUR’s "En Clave Politica" program.

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The Citizen Revolution party's president analyzed the challenges facing the Ecuadorian left after the results of the referendum called by President Daniel Noboa. Here's an excerpt from that interview:

After the referendum held on April 21, what are the conditions for left-wing movements that promoted the NO option?

The Citizen Revolution always maintained that the referendum was unnecessary and represented a waste of resources of U$62 million, which could have been used to fix schools or hospitals in the country.

We called on the population to reflect because the questions regarding security were already being addressed in the National Assembly. However, Noboa pressured the National Assembly president not to address those security reforms because if legislators addressed those reforms, the referendum would have lost its ground.

What interested the Noboa administration was the international arbitration of disputes between the State and foreign investors (Question D) and the approval of hourly labor contracts (Question E).

We urged the population to vote "NO" on those questions because hourly work existed in Ecuador before 2008 and led to increased poverty and deterioration of labor conditions and productivity. It did not improve employment levels in the country.

Regarding international arbitration, we have the experience of Chevron, a company that polluted the Amazonian ecosystems and rivers. Its oil waste even caused cancer in the inhabitants, many of whom have already died. However, we must pay Chevron over US$1 billion due to an international arbitration ruling. That's why we oppose international arbitration.

What will happen to leftist organizations after the referendum?

The referendum marked a historical milestone. Usually, the right has driven political polarization in Ecuador by framing a dispute between people who support the movement created by former president Rafael Correa and those who reject it.

Political hatred, prompted by mainstream media and certain political actors, has led to a confrontation between social groups, which the right has exploited.

In these elections, however, the Correa vs. anti-Correa dichotomy has been broken. And that's a historical milestone... This time, the anti-Correa sentiment was broken as organizations, activists, and people who do not support the Citizen Revolution joined the "NO" option.

Naturally, all left-wing and progressive movements opposed international arbitration and hourly work. However, this position was also joined by right-wing actors.

Will progressive movements be able to overcome their disputes to come together and propose a common government program for the 2025 presidential elections?

In Ecuador, poverty, migration, and violence increase to unprecedented levels. This requires us to come together to achieve unity. The country needs it, and the left even more so. If we remain divided, the economic, social, and political crisis will deepen.

I believe we can dialogue with certain left-wing actors like Leonidas Iza, the leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE).

He has proven to be a consistent man who has remained in the struggle. We have many commonalities with him, and what brings us together are the needs of our people.

Are you willing to talk with Leonidas Iza?

As president of the Citizen Revolution, we are totally willing to sit down at a dialogue table to strengthen the country's needs through consensus between two movements that represent society, fight for the people's needs, and have more similarities than differences.

We agree on issues such as providing healthcare and education to the population, and  strengthening the agricultural sector and public infrastructure.