![8-]](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif "Cool"){kind=icon}
(será uma virose...?)
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FUENTES
Equador
Pesquisa aponta a vitória de Rafael Correa
27 de Novembro de 2006
O economista de esquerda Rafael Correa, de 43 anos, aliado do presidente venezuelano, Hugo Chávez, venceu neste domingo o segundo turno das eleições presidenciais no Equador. Pesquisas de boca-de-urna apontaram vantagem média de 14 pontos sobre o conservador Álvaro Noboa. Levantamento do instituto Cedatos com o Gallup aponta vitória de Correa por 57% a 43%. O resultado oficial deve ser conhecido nesta reça-feira.
Correa, assim que soube dos números de boca-de-urna, disse que "a esperança venceu". "Começamos a recuperar a pátria. Hoje começa uma jornada decisiva", disse. "A esperança venceu. Após muitos anos de políticas socioeconômicas excludentes, não puderam nos roubar a esperança. Vencemos."
Álvaro Noboa, o homem mais rico do país, recusou-se a aceitar o resultado e afirmou que vai pedir uma recontagem "voto a voto, para o bem do país". Noboa, que disputava a Presidência pela terceira vez, disse na TV: "Eu venci e vou continuar defendendo os pobres".
No sábado, observadores da Organização dos Estados Americanos haviam pedido que os candidatos não proclamassem vitória antes do resultado oficial. Correa perdera no primeiro turno, em outubro, por 26,7% a 22,8%. Na ocasião, acusou o rival de fraudar a eleição.
Correa, ex-ministro da Fazenda, defendeu em campanha um receituário chavista, com a convocação de uma Assembléia Constituinte e o aumento da participação do Estado na indústria petrolífera, principal atividade econômica do país. Buscando capitalizar a alta rejeição dos políticos, seu partido não lançou nenhum candidato ao Congresso. Sua eleição é uma vitória do venezuelano Hugo Chávez, que pretende liderar um grupo de governos de esquerda na América Latina em oposição à influência norte-americana na região e não havia conseguido eleger aliados no Peru e no México.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6186662.stm
Ecuador votes for break with past
By Daniel Schweimler
BBC News, Quito
Rafael Correa is US-educated
The people of Ecuador have spoken and spoken loudly.
When all expected a close contest in the second and final round of presidential elections, what they got was a clear-cut victory for the left-wing economist, Rafael Correa.
He beat his right-wing rival, the country's richest man, Alvaro Noboa, with ease - even in the coastal regions where he was thought to be weak.
The people of Ecuador, it seems, want the radical change that 43-year-old Mr Correa is promising.
He is talking about a "citizens' revolution" to overturn what he calls the discredited political establishment - an establishment that has produced eight presidents in the past 10 years.
Three of them were thrown out of office by angry crowds, including the last elected leader, Lucio Gutierrez.
Strong views
Mr Correa, who served briefly as economy minister in the last government of interim president Alfredo Palacio, wants to ensure that a greater share of Ecuador's wealth goes to its many poor.
He wants better representation for women and the indigenous community.
And he is keen to halt the emigration that has seen hundreds of thousands move to Europe and the US in search of a better life.
He also has very strong views on his country's relationship with the US.
He will not sign a free trade agreement with Washington and wants to close a US military base on Ecuadorean soil. He has also called President George W Bush "dimwitted".
But Ecuador adopted the US dollar as its official currency six years ago and it is difficult not to be friends with the US when the bank notes you handle every day bear the portraits of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
That might be why Rafael Correa has been trying to put some distance between himself and his friend, the radical president of Venezuela and critic of the US, Hugo Chavez.
While his supporters were celebrating on the streets, Mr Correa went on national television to make a number of points.
However, the one he put most strongly was that he will be his own man.
He will not be influenced by Mr Chavez and he will seek to make friends with all the countries in the region, including the US.
Politically inexperienced
With a doctorate from a US university, this multi-lingual, guitar-playing economist has impressed many with his youthful energy and enthusiasm.
But he is politically inexperienced and leads a new political movement with no representation in Congress.
Alvaro Noboa is the Latin American country's wealthiest man
Voting is obligatory in Ecuador but many of the nine million voters cast their ballots without much enthusiasm.
One woman outside a polling station in Quito said: "The winner should do what he promises. We're in the mess we're in because of that - they promise a lot during the campaign. Then once in power they forget everything, everything.
"And every day the poverty gets worse and now we're not so optimistic because each time we've voted it's always the same. Now we're pessimistic and we don't know what to do."
Manuel, shining shoes in the Theatre Plaza in Quito's colonial centre said: "Firstly we want someone who does what they promise - someone super honest, a man of his word, someone we can respect as a president.
"With all the problems Ecuador has had over the years, I don't believe in anyone now."
Fear factor
Alvaro Noboa has three times tried to become president and three times failed.
But no-one can accuse him of not putting effort into his campaigns.
He criss-crossed the country, wielding a bible, handing out gifts of computers, wheelchairs and medicines. He pledged to create jobs, build houses and increase wages.
"Like Christ," he said, "all I want is to serve... so that the poor can have housing, health care, education, jobs."
He is the owner of more than 100 companies, has close friends in Washington and a strong base among the business community in the coastal city of Guayaquil.
He tried to convince voters that he would apply the business acumen that has brought him such vast wealth to the Ecuadorean economy.
He also tried to frighten voters by telling them that his rival would be a puppet of President Chavez.
However, it seems voters were more concerned that Mr Noboa might represent the kind of old-style Latin American politician they have tired of over the past few years.
The independent Washington-based think tank, the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, said in a report that "the fear factor has been a key strategy of the right in Latin American elections this year.
"But there is no reason to think that the outcome of this election would adversely affect Ecuador's economy, regardless of who wins."
Ecuador, with its oil and banana wealth, should be better off than it is. Years of corruption and mismanagement have left it politically and economically unstable.
The old ways have failed them and they seem to be saying that now is the time to try a fresh approach.
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DOSSIER:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/a ... 1page1.stm
Introduction
Latin America's political map could find itself being redrawn as 12 of the region's countries hold presidential elections between November 2005 and the end of 2006.
One of the key issues - being closely watched by Washington - is whether the recent left-wing trend in the region will continue. And, if it does, what will be the likely nature of any new left-leaning government. Will newly-elected leaders be of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez variety or closer to Brazil's moderate President Lula?
