New faces of Andean politics
Neither Lucio Gutierrez, a leftist colonel, nor Alvaro Noboa, a banana magnate, looks likely to bring stability to Ecuador, but both embody new regional trends
IMAGINE having to choose between Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi for president. That resembles the unenviable decision Ecuador's voters have given themselves in a run-off ballot for their country's presidency in a month's time. In the election's first round on October 20th, the voters favoured two outsiders. The surprise winner with 20.4% of the vote was Lucio Gutierrez, who as an army colonel led a coup which toppled an elected president in 2000. He will face Alvaro Noboa, Ecuador's banana king and richest businessman, who won 17.4%.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “New faces of Andean politics”
From the October 26th 2002 edition
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