Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa waves at supporters after voting in Quito last Sunday. Correa's party last Sunday battled for a majority of seats in an election of an assembly the leftist leader says will challenge discredited political elites by drafting a new constitution. -Reuters
QUITO (Reuters):
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa yesterday emerged with a strong mandate to dissolve Congress and seek broad reforms after claiming a majority in a weekend vote for an assembly to rewrite the constitution.
The left-winger joins allies Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Bolivia's Evo Morales in convoking a national assembly to push through a constitutional rewrite and limit the influence of powerful elites who resist his proposals.
A convincing victory for his Alianza Pais, or Country Alliance, party in the assembly will allow Correa to shore up legislative control and push through his "21st Century" socialism and plans for tighter state economic control that have already rattled Wall Street.
Early presidential election
Correa on Monday called for his delegates to press for early presidential and congressional elections after the assembly, end the central bank's autonomy and abolish special oil saving funds that restrict government spending.
He also struck a more moderate tone in dismissing concerns that he wants to expand his authority and saying his renegotiation of oil contracts would be "friendly," with no deep reforms expected in the energy and mining sectors.
"This is a great slap on the back for the government ... we will take this with great responsibility because we cannot fail," Correa said at a press conference. "No one is trying to establish a monarchy here."
Correa, who came into office in January, wants to purge the influence of traditional parties, which are widely blamed for the instability that ousted three presidents in a decade.
With an initial 3 per cent of votes counted, Correa's party had a lead in votes. But a tally of seats could take weeks because of the complex proportional representation system.
