Ecuador candidate Luisa Gonzalez pledges return of mentor Correa's movement
By Alexandra Valencia
October 12, 20237:02 AM CDT
Updated 2 days ago
QUITO, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Her deep admiration for Ecuador's former President Rafael Correa inspired lawyer Luisa Gonzalez to work for his government. Now she is the best hope of returning his Citizens' Revolution party to power.
The 45-year-old Gonzalez has channeled many voters' longing for a return of Correa's social spending into a lead at the ballot box, where she won 34% of the vote in an August first round, though polling points to a tight second-round contest.
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"The only possibility of bringing back our winning decade and continuing to advance the country is for Mashi to return to power," said Octavio Flores, a 60-year-old businessman, using Correa's Quechua nickname. "That's why we have to start with Luisa Gonzalez as president."
Gonzalez, who describes herself as a single mother, animal lover and athlete, would be Ecuador's first female president. An evangelical Christian, she has said she always carries a Bible in her briefcase and sports religious tattoos.
She has campaigned on increasing social spending and promised to better equip security forces, improve intelligence systems, and bring prisons, ports and airports under control with military assistance.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-candidate-luisa-gonzalez-pledges-return-mentor-correas-movement-2023-10-12/
