SP does not have support from the opposition on referendum proposal

Gilmar Gutierrez

Assembly of opposition organizations Creando Oportunidades (CREO) and Pachakutik (PK) disagree with the proposal of Assemblyman of Sociedad Patriotica (SP), Gilmar Gutierrez, of carrying out a referendum to change the Constitution.

In the consultation, Gutierrez raises two questions, the first, to say no to indefinite reelection and second, to change the composition of the National Electoral Council (CNE for its Spanish acronym) with delegates from political parties represented in the National Assembly.

Lourdes Tiban (PK) does not think the whole issue is a bad idea and believes that any constitutional change must be made via referendum, but said it would be a waste of time because the CNE will not allow it. “A CNE managed by the President will not allow us to conduct a referendum (…). Personally I do not think it is worth the effort, because it means we would start collecting signatures and then get nothing,” she said.

Patricio Donoso (CREO) said that the “CREO movement has not met to discuss a constitutional amendment because we believe it should not be on the agenda of a serious movement like ours, to change the Constitution everytime we want. If the ruling party wants to change the Constitution it must be done through a referendum, but we will not fall into the trap of promoting change,” he added.