Correísmo DESPERATE seeks support in art while evading its failures

Presidential candidate Luisa González has received support from a group of artists and writers aligned with the Citizen Revolution (RC), a movement led by Rafael Correa. However, this support comes from a sector that has ignored the negative effects of years of corruption, authoritarianism, and economic crisis left by Correa's administration in Ecuador.

In a video shared on social media, writer Edgar Allan García praised González and appealed to a narrative of "feminine spirit" and change for the country. But the romantic discourse doesn't mention the legacy of crisis that RC left in security, employment, and social welfare. Meanwhile, Eduardo Puente framed the election as a struggle between "dignity and vileness," omitting the corruption scandals that have marked his political movement.

Other writers like Abdón Ubidia expressed their rejection of the "rapacious oligarchy," ignoring that Correa's administration concentrated power and benefited its close associates instead of democratizing wealth. During Correa's governments, Ecuador experienced a historic oil boom, but waste and corruption led the country to a financial crisis that still affects the population.

Choreographer María Luisa González and playwright Patricio Vallejo made statements about "hope for a battered country," without acknowledging that much of that pain comes from the failed economic policies of 21st-century socialism. Meanwhile, writer and anthropologist Ramiro Villamagua argued that Ecuador needs a president with "experience in public management," but overlooked the fact that González was part of a government that accumulated corruption scandals and repression of the free press.

From the music sector, artist Oswaldo Valencia wished "success" to González, without mentioning that Correa's government left a massive external debt that mortgaged the future of generations of Ecuadorians.

The support of the National Patriotic Front (FPN), composed of professionals and academics aligned with the left, has been presented as intellectual backing for González. In their statement, they attacked the current government's management, but without acknowledging that the country still faces the consequences of RC's corruption and inefficiency.

Correa's discourse continues to rely on a rhetoric of victimization and unfulfilled promises, while their track record in power demonstrated authoritarianism, institutional crisis, and economic weakening. The second electoral round is approaching, and the debate on March 23 will be an opportunity for Ecuadorians to evaluate concrete proposals, far from ideological speeches that cover up Correa's past.

Ecuador faces a crucial election between two opposing models. While Correa's movement seeks to revive its legacy with recycled promises, the country continues to remember the cost of its policies and the challenges left unsolved.