Election Season

Man, and I thought election season was tough in the US this past fall!

Elections are going on all over the country this April, as mayoral and gubernatorial terms are coming to an end. Every four years there is a vote for a new Prefecto (governor) and Mayor with his/her concejales or council members. It has been fascinating to see people get so involved with local elections, however. Something I´ve never seen happen in the US.

There are a TON of parties here, first of all, so you will see signs everywhere that say VOTA 17 or VOTA 35 (the party of President Rafael Correa). But in addition to the plethora of parties there are, of couse, a plethora of stances. Party 35 is one of the more popular parties, along with Partido 3, Lucio Gutierrez, the rival presidential candidate of Correa. I coincidentally have a jacket the same shade of Key Lime Pie Green that Correa uses, and I think many times people think I am associated with him. However, as a technical employee of the US Goverment (and Obama Administration) I have no say.

Everyone has bumper stickers and flags plastered on to their cars. The candidates even have catchy campaign songs. Last night I had Max Luna Cruz´s song stuck in my head.... They also have pictures of the mayoral candidates, for example, photoshopped next to Correa or Lucio. Like he is shaking hands with him or giving the thumbs with him. It´s classic. Partido 3 also has this signal where they hold up three fingers, but it´s the thumb and pointer and middle finger...which seems more difficult to make than the traditional three finger position, but maybe it´s different here on the Equator (ie: when you ask a kid what a dog says, they say Wow Wow instead of Woof Woof...)

The candidates also travel to all the workplaces, shaking hands, shmoozing with the people. And working in three different cantons, or counties, I have met a lot of candidates. It´s been a neat experience, though, hearing what people have to say and what they have to say about the US because a lot of times they want to talk about it with me. One candidate was asking me all about US environmental laws, which was his forte and what he was trying to enforce with the mining companies down here. Great topic, however I didn´t have much to share with him. But, as I´ve learned from my father, if you speak in an authoritative tone, people will believe almost anything you say.

The current mayor of Yantzaza, Benito Suquisupa (I like him just for his name: sue-key-sue-pa), is part of the revolutionary party, 17. They have Che as their party symbol. Looks like his chances are low and the high contenders are Max Luna Cruz (it´s the song...), Angel Erreyes (represents the Indigenous party), and Juan Galarza (same party as the current governor and father of my dentist friend who owns the only artificial soccer field in the province). So it should be a good race. The elections are April 26, they are always on Sundays. And it is also against the law to buy or consume alcohol that day. Basically to make sure people are in the ¨right state of mind¨ when they cast their vote.

My fondest memories of elections in the US involved getting a sticker that said: I went with Mom to vote today! As well as receiving a hot pink ruler to vote for Smiley-Robinson! But in a way, I like it here how you don´t have to give shit to people to win their votes (Well, he did give me a pot holder so I guess I should vote for him...). It´s all about talking to the gente and understanding the community.

Too bad I can´t vote...