Lenin defeated the banker in Equador

03.04.2017
Equador

On Sunday, April 2, 2016, the election of the President of Ecuador took place. The incumbent Vice President Lenin Moreno received 51.11% of voters voted for the representative of the governing coalition "Alliance PAIS" ("Alliance Country"). Guillermo Lasso, who ran from the center-right "Movement CREO", won 48.89% of the vote.

The course towards multipolarity

The two main candidates demonstrated completely different approaches to foreign policy issues. The successor to Correa, Moreno, insisted on continuing the course toward a multipolar world and strengthening the sovereignty of the country, while the former banker Lasso was an protege of US-oriented forces.

The left is still strong

The elections demonstrated the continued course of Ecuador on anti-globalization external and social domestic policies. Across Latin America, the current elections mean that, despite serious problems in Venezuela, leftist-populist sovereign forces are too early to write off in this region.

USA in indecisiveness

An important factor was the change in the balance of forces in Washington itself. Previously, the US managed to change regime in the two largest countries in the region - Argentina and Brazil. If Hillary Clinton came to power, this policy would continue. The fact that the American protege could not achieve a decisive advantage shows that Washington does not yet have a holistic vision and strategy for Equador and Latin America. On the one hand as realist Trump must perceive the region as a sphere of direct influence, which Americans must strictly control. On the other, he was doctrinally opposed to the policy of regime change, which requires a lot of money.

The Assange factor

Another aspect of the elections in Ecuador is the prospect of the release of the Australian journalist Julian Assange. Lasso insisted that the founder of Wikileaks, who had been granted political asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, had to left asylum. Now Julianne Asange may not be afraid of the extradition, and can safely continue his activities.

Related links
Форум CELAC, или Призрак социализма к югу от Рио-Гранде
Equador
Latin America