The proselytizing phase will last until August 17, which means there will be a 48-hour silence before the nomination at the ballot box.
The contest was originally intended to last only ten days, but the electoral body decided to bring forward the propaganda phase after the electoral court confirmed that all appeals had been resolved.
The CNE also announced that, as stipulated in the constitution, it would guarantee the eight presidential candidates alike a total of $3.09 million to use for media and billboard advertising.
Each gets $309,243, but those who are part of alliances are entitled to an additional 20 percent for each party or movement that is part of the coalition.
In this way, starting this Thursday, political forces with candidates to run the executive branch will have to report to the electoral authorities spending that cannot exceed the set limit of 5.3 million.
This cap includes both the little more than 300,000 that the state contributes to each contest and the amount that political organizations, the contestants themselves and individuals could contribute to the contest, while corporations are prohibited from funding.
At the same time, the printing of the presidential ballots, which will feature the names of the eight couples nominated for the presidential and vice-presidential races, has already begun.
The only female candidate for the presidency of the republic is the representative of the Revolución Ciudadana movement, Luisa González, who is the leader in all the polls.
They also want to reach the Carondelet Palace: Otto Sonnenholzner (Let’s act), Fernando Villavicencio (Build), Jan Topic (For A Country Without Fear), Xavier Hervas (RETO), Yaku Pérez (Of course we can), Daniel Noboa (National ). Democratic Action) and Bolívar Armijos (friend).
Although the campaign has not yet officially started, all this week they have intensified their provincial tours, interviews and meetings with different social sectors to publicize their proposals related to security, public services and the fight against corruption.
The winner of the votes will end the 2021-2025 term, interrupted by the “crusader death” decree of current President Guillermo Lasso, which dissolved the National Assembly (parliament) during an impeachment trial against him.
jha/avr