EXPRESO Newspaper

The leader of Prian criticized the government for not generating employment nor controlling prices

The banana magnate, Alvaro Noboa, appeared for the first time in the referendum campaign to ask citizens to vote No.

“We will not allow a socialist Constitution of the 21st century to hinder our development. Vote NO to the Constitution that has nothing new about it. For years, it has failed in Cuba and in old Russia. Vote No to proven failure,” stated Noboa from his office, in the Industrial Molinera building, reading his discourse in a teleprompter.

He indicated that the 21st century socialism promoted by President Rafael Correa “is nothing more than a disguised communism.” This model “has not been able to give employment, it has not been able to control the cost of foodstuffs because of the lack of production,” he noted.

“21st century socialism has not been able to resolve these problems despite the petroleum boom,” pointed out Noboa, who in 2006 lost the Presidency of the Republic against Correa. Last year he achieved a seat in the Constitutional Assembly, but was dismissed for not presenting a declaration of assets.

The Prian leader indicated that “in the modern world, only work, together with education and investment can generate wealth for all, especially for the poor.”

Therefore, he asked that one not be deceived by gifts, vouchers, subsidies… “To get out of the hole in which you are, you will only get out by modern work, with education, with liberty…”

He also regretted that the country had erred in earlier elections. “Don’t get it wrong again, given that your future and your dream are at stake,” he said.

Noboa justified his appearance in the last hours of the campaign because, “it is proven that people make decisions in the last week.”

The businessman did not disclose whether Prian will undertake a final campaign today, but indicated that the party has worked for two months.