The people of Ecuador are rising up to refound their country as a pluri-national homeland for all. This inspiring movement, with Ecuador's indigenous peoples at its heart, is part of the revolution spreading across the Americas, laying the groundwork for a new, fairer, world. Ecuador Rising aims to bring news and analysis of events unfolding in Ecuador to english speakers.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Ecuadorian Constitution Ready for Vote

Quito, Jul 23 (Prensa Latina) The Constituent Assembly is closer to zero hour, when people start voting Thursday for the new Ecuadorian Constitution, drawn up over the last eight months.

The Assembly's president Fernando Cordero stated that everything is ready for tomorrow's session, which will begin at 10:00 local time (15:00 UTC) to pay tribute to Simon Bolivar on his birthday.

Cordero noted that each assembly member will have three minutes to speak, a time in which they will be able to announce their support or rejection of the new Constitution.

The final voting is slated for 18:00 local time (23:00 UTC), although this will depend on how many people talk and the time of debates, the executive told Ecuadorinmediato.com website. The new Constitution will be delivered to the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) in an act in which Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa will attend, as a special guest, as well as leaders from several entities of power.

After the ceremony and according to the Assembly's statutes, the TSE must call for a referendum so the people can ratify or oppose to the constitutional text, drawn up by the Assembly for eight months, Cordero stressed.

The Assembly's top representative stated that the Constitution establishes a radical change of Ecuador 's power structures, because it will pass "from a social state of law to a constitutional, social and democratic state of rights, in plural."

No comments:

Post a Comment