Ecuadorians in New York Make Their Vote Count
QUEENS —The warm-sunny day made a more exciting experience for Ecuadorians who attended the Sunday event on Abril 2, 2017. Thousands of Ecuadorians fill the Union of Students building at Queens College to vote, where they installed about 70 ballot boxes.
The two candidates Lenin Moreno, the former vice-president, and Guillermo Lasso, a former banker faced each other for the second time. Moreno was close to taste victory in the first presidential election on Feb 19, 2017. The 39 percent of votes in his favor and the 28.28 percent to Lasso led them for a second presidential runoff.
“I notice there are more people voting today,” said Cesar Quintero as he walked inside the building along with his wife and his son, following the crowd. “Is an important day and I think everybody needs to participate,” he added.
After the first election, both candidates have been rigorously campaigning, giving more interviews on TV, appearing more in social media and inviting citizens to follow them for a “change” and a “better democracy.”
“I vote for a change,” said Jose Gonzales a 54-year-old who has business in Ecuador and in New York. He said that he has been traveling there all the time, and he has experienced the corruption. “Ecuador is so bad now.” he said. That if the lift-wing Moreno wins “Ecuador will be like Venezuela,” referring to the movement that is happening in Caracas.
Lasso twitted,“This is a crucial day, this isn’t any election, here there’s a path; there’s a path to Venezuela or a path to democracy and freedom.”
On the other hand, Moreno wrote on his tweeter account, “I’m going to inaugurate the cleanest government in history. We will completely eradicate corruption. I count on you Ecuadorians!”
“I just want to get over with it,” Juan Delgado expressed his sentiment about the elections not wanting to tell who he voted for. “Both of them are liars. I don’t trust them” he add.
Meanwhile, there was a group of people in a corner, Lenin Moreno’s supporters. “Let’s go Moreno,” they shouted as they joked and laughed.
Should Moreno win, Ecuador’s reputation will continue for the next years “as a bastion of the left in Latin America.” Should Lasso wins, Ecuador will take another path after many years under the leftists.
While exiting the building, Victor Tocachi, 32, enthusiastically answer, “I voted for Moreno!” Because “Ecuador has made a lot of progress. We have new hospitals, new roads and more jobs”. Tocachi said that the former president Rafael Correa was “the first good president” Ecuador has had in a long time.
Lasso has promised in his campaign to help people boost their small business and cut taxes, so that way there be more jobs. “We need someone with that mentality,” said Raul a taxi driver who has business in Ecuador. “Who can help the poor to have their own business,” he said.
After the relentless battle between candidates, only one will be the winner.