Popular Consultation: controversy for allocation of funds for campaign

Ecuadornews:

The distribution of resources for the electoral campaign of the consultation and referendum depends, to a large extent, on the number of organizations registered for each option. The National Electoral Council ordered that USD 1.95 million be allocated for the yes, and for the No the same amount.

Thus, the more organizations there are for an option, the lower the individual amount they will receive. And the fewer organizations exist for the other option, the greater the individual value. Once the qualification process of those who will participate in the campaign is closed, the difference between one and another option is important.

The USD 1.95 million of the self should be distributed among 36 organizations. And the same amount will be distributed among only four that were approved to request the vote for the no. The Confederation of Free Trade Unions (Ceosl) considers that this puts at a disadvantage those who will campaign for the yes. The next January 2 is scheduled to present a challenge to the method to distribute the resources, before the National Electoral Council (CNE). Ángel Sánchez, president of that group, explains that it contravenes the provisions of the Constitution. Article 95 states that citizen participation must be guided by criteria of equality. Another aspect that is taken into account to distribute the resources for the campaign is the number of questions for which each organization was registered for more questions, more resources.

Of the 36 that will choose the yes, 33 did so for all the questions (seven). Each one is expected to receive USD 58 479.66 from the CNE. This list includes the 16 national political parties and movements, with legal status. In contrast, each of the social groupings admitted to campaign for the other option; No, in the seven questions, you will receive an allocation of USD 488,497.43.

This money is not delivered directly to organizations. It is managed by the electoral authority to buy promotion spaces in the media and billboard companies. Therefore, it cannot be used in other expenses. For Lourdes Tibán, leader of Pachakutik, political movement inscribed by the yes in all the questions, that rule makes the campaign difficult. Its movement will focus on traveling far from the provinces and communities. And generally in those places there is no television signal and electric power. Therefore, he adds, TV commercials and radio spots have little impact. “The budget allocated by the CNE is not the main thing because finally those resources do not arrive in cash for socialization. We are not going to depend on that economic support, “she said.

Management for the campaign 

Registered organizations will have a limit on spending their own resources. It is the same amount that they will receive as part of the promotion fund. After the electoral process ends, they must support obtaining the money and spending it before the CNE. The promotional items will have to come out of that money: spheres, caps, t-shirts, events and the production of the commercials, wedges and fences that the electoral entity will then issue in the media and communication companies. In the case of trade union organizations, obtaining resources is not yet clear.

They do not have a budget. Sanchez says they will not ask the unions but will take it from the annual budget. Henry Cucalón, assembly member and leader of the PSC, explains that this is a consultation of citizens, so the campaign will not be based on major events but on dissemination works in each province.

The funds will not leave the permanent supporter because there is a legal prohibition but of self-management. Geovanny Atarihuana, director of Popular Unity, indicates that a work of 5,000 volunteers has been arranged to tour Ecuador, collecting a fund for the production of flags and the elaboration of messages on networks. (I)

Source: http://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/consultapopular-polemica-asignacion-fondos-campana.html