I have 3 minutes to justify my vote. Therefore I will read my explanation.

I vote NO because this fully-empowered Constitutional Assembly has not created the Republic’s Constitution. Rather, it has been drafted by foreign consultants, together with the government’s political bureau, which was not elected by the people and who, unfortunately, have been subjected to the pro-government majority of the Alianza País and its allies.

NO, because this totalitarian, power-centralizing Constitution is not made for governing, but tailored to the president. It creates an all-encompassing power, destroying the true essence of democracy based on the independence of powers, until reaching the unprecedented extreme of disputes between the five state functions being settled by the President.

NO, because it threatens the freedom of expression and communication and the right of citizens to be informed. Nowadays, the government attempts to control communication and information.

NO, because this improvised XXI century model of socialism, consecrated in this statist, centralizing Constitution, responds to a vision of the past which has already failed worldwide and which has been buried as ineffective

NO, because it closes the door to national and foreign investment with the fact that it offers no guarantees that the private sector will function according to free market rules. Private property is subject to the most recent functionary’s interpretation as to whether or not it fulfils “social objectives”.

NO, because this centralizing Constitution is a threat to the autonomy previously endorsed by plebiscite in many provinces and cities.

NO, because it takes away jurisdictions already assumed and administrated by mayors and officials, thereby affecting the quality of service rightfully enjoyed by citizens.

NO, because the door is closed to provinces which could, by themselves, become autonomous regions.

Decentralization, the road to national development, is now conditional to decisions of the National Jurisdictional System as directed by the President. Only those mayors and officials submitting to the government will accede to jurisdictions decided by the President.

NO, because the Constitution does not explain how to escape from underdevelopment nor does it suggest how to effect the giant leap towards economic growth in order to produce enough affordable food, generate employment and provide health, housing, and education for all.

NO, because the country’s currency is not defined within the text of the Constitution and, in line with the same power-concentrating format, monetary policy will be defined by the President.

NO, because this Constitution does no guarantee the independence of the branches of control and justice. What has occurred is merely a change of names creating new entities that will designate new authorities, all of which controlled by the President, such as the Constitutional Court and Transparency Office.

And most importantly, NO, because this Constitution threatens a fundamental right, the right to life from conception. This is the right of unborn children who now, being excluded, are condemned to die.

NO, because this is a pro-abortion Constitution, stained with blood.

NO, because sexual and reproductive rights have been distorted in order to include concepts which are unnatural to the true family values of the Ecuadorian family.

Ecuadorians, the objective of this constitution is to perpetuate the power of this President, so that he can control every act of our lives. Voting NO becomes, then, a civic and moral obligation if we wish to save our country and to protect the present and future of our children and those of generations to come.

I ask God to enlighten and bless us, to faithfully defend our liberties and right to a peaceful Ecuador filled with progress and social justice.


Dr. Annabella Azin de Noboa
Montecristi, July 24, 2008