Ecuador, Constitucion y Sociedad- Ecuador, its Constitution and Society

We arrive here in Ecuador during a time of great political change and heightened tensions throughout the country. Current leftist president Rafael Correa convened a constitutional assembly to rewrite the country's constitution in a model that goes against neoliberal currents in Latin America. 6 million copies of the constitution will be given out on Friday, July 25 and will go to a vote nation-wide on September 26. The new constitution is very contentious-- with left wing group mounting a campaign to approve the document and more conservative groups actively opposing it because, among other things, it nationalizes Ecuador's national resources. Some very radical left wing people also oppose the constitution.

The city of Quito has also undergone major changes in the past decade, refurbishing the historical colonial center (called Old Town) and trying to make the city safer.

What follows is Jesus' further explanation of the new constitution and urban development in Ecuador.

ECUADOR , EN PROCESO DE CAMBIOS CON NUEVA CONSTITUCIÒN

Por : Jesùs Valencia

By : Jesus Valencia (tranlsated by Nicole)

Fotografia : James Lerager

Hace varios dìas en Quito - Ecuador en Montecristi se viene desarrollando el gran debate de contar con una nueva constituciòn que rige los nuevos destinos del pais fronterizo de Ecuador , hasta ahora la constituciòn de 1998 se viene aplicando , mientras se apruebe sì o no la nueva carta magna que comprende 444 artìculos en esta oportunidad , para este nuevo documento los integrantes de la Asamblea Nacional Constituyente ( ANC ) , segùn algunos analistas de Ecuador atribuyen que el gobierno del Economista Rafael Correa Delgado quiere construir el llamado socialismo del siglo XXI .

Asì mismo el desarrollo de las actividades de los asambleìstas ( congresistas ) se llevò entre lìos, polèmicas y acusaciones entre asambleìstas del oficilaismo y la oposiciòn que defienden los intereses del paìs .

En un primer momento el pasado Viernes 18 de julio , terminò a las 8: 45 de la madrugada del sabado , este debate entre gallos y medias noches se aprobò los artìculos con el retiro de algunos asambleìstas de la oposicòn que se vieron indignados por no tener en cuenta el Quichua o Kichua como idioma oficial del paìs ecuatoriano , sobre todo en los lugares quechuahablantes de la regiòn , segùn el mandatario Rafael Correa manifiesta con este nuevo instrumento se " cambiarìa el modelo neoliberal ".

Dicho documento se llevarà a Referèndum ( consulta popular ) el pròximo 28 de Septiembre , caso que en la actualidad el Presidente ecuatoriano ya està en campaña visitando los lugares que màs incidencia , debe tener la nueva constituciòn .

Ante todo estos hechos que van a marcar la historia del pais norteño del Ecuador , casi en su gran mayorìa los medios de comunicaciòn no han difundido con gran responsabilidad a los ciudadanos ecuatorianos , por lo que se ha creado una confusiòn en los diferentes puntos del Norte , Sur , amazonìa y galàpagos del paìs , debe hacerse un voto con conciencia ciudadana y generar debates sobre los artìculos de la Nueva Constituciòn del 2008, que entrarà en vigencia de aprobarse el pròximo septiembre , cuàndo en la consulta popular logre los votos para la aplicaciòn de dicho documento en el Ecuador .

Todo lo señalado , viene ocurriendo en estes momentos y este Viernes 25 de Julio ( hoy ) se presentarà a la sociedad civil para luego generar las discusiones en las diversas organizaciòn sociales , polìticas , gremios de campesinos , indìgenas , jòvenes estudiantes universitarios y los medios de comunicaciòn deben cumplir un papel muy importante en la difusiòn de la versiòn de la nueva constituciòn .

En un nuevo debate con los asambleìstas , ante las manifestaciones de las organizaciones de las mujeres en las instalaciones , en este caso como la organizaciòn indigena Pachakutik , dònde se viene discutiendo los borradores de la constituciòn , se ha logrado esta madrudada de Hoy Jueves 24 , la reconsideraciòn de aplicar como idioma oficial el Quichua , orgullo para las culturas indìgenas y campesinas .

Finalmente ya se observan las pintas en las paredes de las casonas ( viviendas ) con gran fuerza de los que apoyan por el " No" , a su entender ya esta campaña esta direccionado por los que defienden grandes intereses de la clase media y que no apuestan por la revoluciòn ciudadana como lo menciona el Presidente Rafael Correa en sus discursos oficiales .

ECUADOR, THE PROCESS OF CHANGE WITH A NEW CONSTITUION

A few days ago in Quito, Ecuador in the city of Montecristi, a big debate is developing regarding a new constitution that will govern over the new destiny of Ecuador. Until now, the 1998 constitution has been used, while waiting for approval from the new magna carta that has 444 new articles. This new document, the members of the National Constitutional Assembly, according to some Ecuadorian analysists, will create, along with the government of the economist Rafael Correa Delgado, socialism in the 21st century.

The development of the congresspeople´s activities has resulted in divisiones, accusations, and a mess in general between government officials and the opposition as they try to defend the interests of the country.

One debate that began last Friday, July 18, ended the next morning at 8:45am (Saturday). In the midst of their tiredness, some assembliests left the meeting in opposition because Quichua (Kichua) was not recognized as an official state language, offensive especially in the Quichua speaking region. However, according to the head of state Rafael Correa, the new constitution is a change to the neoliberal model, seen throughout Latin America.

This document will go to a referendum, where Ecuadorians will vote on it, on September 28. Now, the President has mounted a campaign, visiting different regions of the country trying to convince them of the necessity of the new constitution.

Something that will be sure to stay in the history of Ecuador is the fact that the media, despite it´s supposed responsibility to the public, has not done a good job of conveying information about the new constitution. This has created confusion throughout the Northern, Southern, Amazonian, and Galapagos regions of the country. The coming vote on the constitution should be done with high citizens´consciousness, and there should be debates about the proposed articles in the constitution before the vote for approval or disapproval next semester.

The conservative media has largely failed to inform the public about Ecuador's potential new constitution.

By all visible signs occuring now, civil society, including diverse social organizations, political groups, campesino organizations, indigenous people, university students, and the media, will begin discussions about the new constitution, playing an important role in getting the word out on the new version of the document.

A new debate amongst the assembleists, facing protests from women regarding the installation of the new constitution, in this case particularly the indigenous organization Pachakutik, has resulted in the addition of Quichua as an official language, causing much pride amongst indigenous people and campesinos.

Lastly, you can see by graffiti on the walls (at least in Quito) the force of those opposing the consitution. You can see that this campaign is run by people trying to protect the interests of the middle clase and not the citizens´ revolution that President Rafael Correa has discussed in his official speeches.

Los Cambios en Quito
Ecuador desde una perspectiva de desarrollo

The colonial streets of Old Town, Quito.

Desde el año 2005 , Ecuador viene realizando grandes cambios en su desarrollo urbano , comercial , como el ordenamiento de los comerciantes informales que ahora cuentan con sus propios locales comerciales , para explicar estos nuevos retos ha pasado por tener en cuenta el turismo que dìa a dìa visita las bellas iglesias coloniales , el panecillo es un mirador muy atractivo para observar toda las ciudades de Ecuador , como el volcàn Pichincha , lugares muy visitados por los extranjeros , latinoamèricanos , europeos entre otros , de esta manera se està cambiando la mirada hacia los visitantes que estàn pensando en visitar a Quito , se resalta una cuidad muy segura con policias en cada calle de la ciudad , para proteger al turista que viene a viistar la bella Ecuador .

La prensa escrita , Radial y Televisiòn informan sobre los ùltimos acontecimientos que ocurren en la ciudad de Quito , paso a paso del desarrollo de los asambleìstas que vienen trabajando y discutiendo los artìculos de la nueva carta magna .

La calle Chile en Quito en el centro de la ciudad , es la màs concurrente , los dìas domingos miles de ciudadanos recorren la ciudad , desde que amanece , algunos asisten a las iglesias a las misas dominicales , otros a paseos con la familia en las hermozas plazuelas , como plaza de Gobierno , San Francisco , catedral de Quito , el mirador del Panecillo y varios lugares atràctivos de la ciudad de Quito .

San Francisco, a cathedral in Quito's colonial area.

Changes in Quito
Ecuador from a development perspective

Since 2005, Ecuador has been experiencing big changes in its urban development and commercial activity. For example, in order to create order in the city amidst the street vendors, the city created formal places for these businesses. To put this into perspective, you have to take into account all of the tourism to the colonial churches, the "Panecillo," a big angel that looks out over Quito, and Pichincha Volcano, among others; all of these are visited very regularly by foreigners, including Latin Americans and Europeans. By creating more order with the street vendors, the city is changing visitors perceptions of Quito, resulting in a safe city with police officers on every street, protecting tourists who are visiting beautiful Ecuador.

Street vendors were displaced when the government in Quito decided to refurbish the historical colonial center of the city. A new building, shown here, was built to house the displaced commercial activity.

The written press, radio, and television inform the public about the lastest events happening in Quito and the step by step development of the constitutional assembly as they discuss the new articles in the magna carta.

Chile Street in Quito is the center of the city, as well as the most active. On Sundays, thousands of citizens stroll through the city, from very early in the morning. Some attend mass at church, others go on walks with their families in beautiful town squares, like the Plaza de Gobierno, San Francisco, Quito´s cathedral, the lookout the Panecillo, and several other nice places in Quito.

The Panecillo, high on a mountain, where one can see all of the city of Quito.