Versión Español
After the fracture of the ruling political party of Ecuador, Alianza País (AP), former president Rafael Correa, has announced his willingness to form another political party and withdraw from the AP.
Correa, who has resided in Belgium since the end of his term, returned this past Saturday November 25 to Ecuador with the promise that he would take control of the party, and expel the current president Lenin Moreno.
- Read More: Protests Welcome Rafael Correa’s Return to Ecuador to Oust Moreno from Ruling Party
- Read More: Ecuador’s President Moves Forward with Plebiscite, Says He’s no Puppet of Predecessor Correa
However, he is now discussing the possibility of forming a new party.
“I do not know if I will form another political party, but I would have to withdraw from Alianza País, because I could not lend myself to being an accomplice in the destruction of the citizen’s revolution,” the former head of state said.
For now, both the “correista” and the “morenista” factions of the party maintain their own presidents and boards, which is why they will have to await the decision of the Contentious Electoral Tribunal (TCE) to resolve their disputes.
It is necessary to remember that the fracture within the political party reached its highest point when the AP correistas tried to dismiss the president as the leader of the party; however, the National Electoral Council invalidated the decision, arguing that it was not made at a national convention of the party, prompting Correa’s return.
Correa, who has now deemed himself “the main opponent” of his successor, said that he “never imagined even in my worst nightmares,” that Moreno would “destroy” his political project called the Citizens’ Revolution.
Also, Correa referred to Lenin Moreno’s call for a popular referendum that seeks to annul indefinite re-election. “A real coup d’état is under way, the Constitution is being violated,” he said.
Correa has already likened the popular consultation of Moreno to the “betrayal of the Citizens’ Revolution, to which both politicians lay claim.
According to Infobae, the consultation that seeks “political legitimacy and political capital” is an action on the part of Moreno intended to prevent Correa from returning to power.
“We are fighting against a monster with a thousand heads, with omnipotent power, without no scruples, and we need to unite against all the possible forces of those that we still resist,” said the former head of the Ecuadorian State affirming that he was “scammed” and “cheated” by Moreno, according to the newspaper Metro.
In spite of his controversial return, Correa assured that he will not return to live in the country “in the coming years for important family reasons.”
The former president said that at the end of his presidential term he was seeking to withdraw from politics; nevertheless, he argued that he had to get involved again in the politics of the country “in the face of so much infamy.”
Moreno has also accused Correa of having lied about the economic situation left in the country, suggesting that Correa left the country with a much higher debt burden than he said.
In addition, Moreno has supported a robust investigation into the Odebrecht corruption case, despite the fact that Correa followers have been implicated.
Moreno even decided to withdraw the functions of Vice President Jorge Glas, a key Correa ally, due to the alleged ties with Glas to the corrupt Brazilian construction company.
Correa deems Moreno’s machinations to be “a disloyalty and terrible ingratitude” that betray the revolution.
Opposition leader Guillermo Lasso has publicly stated that the president has carried out ideas proposed by his political movement:
“Let’s say here what many correistas are thinking: that Lenin Moreno’s government is doing many of the things that CREO proposed and would have done. It is true, yes. many things, although unfortunately not all.”
