WASHINGTON, USA – The secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, and the president of the National Electoral Council of Ecuador, Diana Atamaint, signed the agreement of privileges and immunities for the deployment of an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to the presidential, legislative and consultation elections on August 20, during a ceremony held at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, DC.
Secretary General Almagro stressed that the early elections constitue “a new electoral process in Ecuador, which will once again test the strength of Ecuador’s electoral institutions.” Likewise, Secretary General Almagro called on “the people of Ecuador to be united and to participate and defend their democracy in peace.”
For her part, the president of the National Electoral Council of Ecuador, Diana Atamaint, highlighted that “the electoral process will be carried out in a record time of 90 days.”
“We have used all our experience to organize this unprecedented and historic process, as well as our efficient work and commitment to democracy in Ecuador that must guarantee transparency. We are honoured that the OAS has accepted the invitation to deploy its mission,” added the head of the National Electoral Council.
Voters will choose the president and vice president, and the 137 representatives to the National Assembly that will complete the remaining term of the 2021-2025 period.
Two Popular Consultations will also be held: the Yasuní consultation: which will decide if the government should keep ITT crude indefinitely under the subsoil; and the Andean Chocó consultation, which will decide on the exploitation of metallic mining in the Andean Chocó region.
The head of the EOM will be former Panamanian vice president and foreign minister Isabel de Saint Malo.
