ECUADOR READY FOR A FEMALE PRESIDENT?

UNCLAS QUITO 001434 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM SCUL EC SUBJECT: ECUADOR READY FOR A FEMALE PRESIDENT? ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Women in Ecuador have made significant strides in politics in the last decade, with quotas helping to give women opportunities to win public office and contributing to a gradual change in societal attitudes. The campaign of Cynthia Viteri, the only female presidential pre-candidate, will test how far women leaders have come here. Opinion is divided over whether she will be helped by the fact of her gender, but all agree that being a woman candidate is not a negative. Viteri's main weakness is her perceived dependence on unpopular (male) Social Christian Party (PSC) leaders. If she wins, Viteri will be severely challenged, but no more so than her male counterparts. End Summary. ¶2. (U) PolOff discussed the presidential candidacy of Cynthia Viteri and the state of women in politics with various Ecuadorians, including FLACSO university political science professor Simon Pachano; former Congresswoman Alexandra Vela; former Ambassador to Washington, Minister of Trade, and 2002 presidential candidate Ivonne Baki; and former Vice President and President-for-a-day Rosalia Arteaga. Ecuador was the first country in South America to give women the right to vote in 1929. None of those interviewed thought there would be a strong negative reaction to a female presidency. According to Baki, Ecuador had moved beyond defining candidates in terms of gender; instead Ecuadorians judged candidates on their capabilities. Currently 17 Congress members are women (17%),two of fifteen Cabinet ministers are women (Environment and Tourism) four of 22 prefects are women (5.5%),and there is one female boss of a major political party. Quotas Provide Female Politicians A Boost -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Women's political participation has been boosted by a 2000 law requiring that the percentage of women candidates gradually increase in each election until reaching 50 percent in 2008. In the 2006 election, 45 percent of candidates must be women. Ecuador has seen a sharp increase in the number of women in Congress from an average of five from 1990 through 1997, to the current 17. The law also requires parties to provide training to female candidates. Vela noted that of the 17 women in Congress, few were visible or active, but noted that Congress has few individual stars and votes are generally dictated by party bosses. Though originally skeptical, Baki credited quotas with gaining access for women into the political arena where they have been able to prove themselves. Arteaga agreed that while she did not benefit from quotas during her political career, they have subsequently created more political space to women than otherwise would have been available. Previous Female Presidency Short-Lived -------------- ¶4. (U) If Viteri wins, she will not be the country's first female President. In 1997, then-VP Rosalia Arteaga assumed the presidency for less than 24 hours after president Abdala Bucaram was declared mentally incompetent by Congress. Arteaga was subsequently replaced by president of Congress Fabian Alarcon. Most agreed that Arteaga was passed over by Congress less for being a woman than for her association with discredited ex-president Bucaram. In 1998, Arteaga ran for president, receiving just five percent of the vote. Noting progress, Arteaga said that when she became Ecuador's first female Minister of Education in 1994, the public reacted with surprise and skepticism. "Today, no one is surprised when women are named ministers." ¶5. (U) Other women have run for the job of chief of state. Ivonne Baki, a former Ambassador to Washington ran for president in 2002, receiving only 1.7 percent of the vote. Baki takes consolation in the fact that she fared better in that election than an ex-President (Hurtado) after having been away from the Ecuadorian political scene while serving as Ambassador to Washington, and after just two months of campaigning. After Gutierrez won that election, Baki served as his Minister of Trade. Viteri's Gender Unlikely To Hurt Campaign -------------- ¶6. (U) Cynthia Viteri, 40, a two time Congresswoman and former television journalist, is currently the Social Christian Party's (PSC) pre-nominee for president. Recently, Viteri stepped down as vice president of Congress in order to pursue her campaign. In Congress, she gained visibility as acting president in April 2005, swearing in President Alfredo Palacio after Lucio Gutierrez' irregular ouster. Viteri is currently the only female pre-candidate. Being a woman could help her campaign; Pachano said it would help her to strike a separate identity from the very strong personalities of PSC party boss Leon Febres Cordero and popular Guayaquil mayor Jaime Nebot (PSC). Her campaign uniform, all white, connotes purity and anti-corruption, and being a woman adds to this image. Viteri's campaign is also publicizing her presence at the inauguration of Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. ¶7. (SBU) Viteri's party has not held the presidency since 1984-88, when Febres Cordero was president. In Pachano's opinion, Viteri is the best candidate for the PSC as she symbolizes a certain renovation for the party with a more modern, less "Mafioso" image. Nevertheless, the baggage of party boss Febres Cordero looms over Viteri. Febres Cordero is nicknamed by many as the "owner of the country" and widely believed to have the power to topple presidents through his behind-the-scenes influence over various government institutions and the PSC's sway (with 25 seats, the largest bloc) in Congress. Could She "Be Her Own Man"? -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The perception that she would not be able to make her own decisions as President, and instead defer to party boss Febres Cordero, is one of Viteri's main weaknesses as a candidate. Viteri has made an effort in press interviews to emphasize that she will be independent and make her own decisions, yet many question her ability to do so. Pachano believes Viteri could effectively position herself as independent, but it will depend on whether PSC party leaders are willing to allow this. Others do not believe Viteri could ever be seen as independent of Febres Cordero. Vela noted Viteri would always be on her cell phone (presumably talking to Febres Cordero) before any vote in Congress. Viteri will be granted a certain amount of autonomy by Febres Cordero, but it is unlikely she will completely free herself of his strong influence. Personal History A Plus? -------------- ¶9. (U) Viteri has publicized the fact that she was an adolescent mother, working to support herself and her children. Pachano thought Viteri's personal hard-luck story as an adolescent and working mother could help her. Women's participation in the Ecuadorian work force has jumped from 27 percent in 1990 to 42 percent in 2004 and women head of households has risen from 19 to 24 percent during the same period; more working women may relate to Viteri's experiences. Pachano believes Viteri does hold an appeal to women voters and will capitalize on this with a female discourse. Viteri publicly says she is "not a feminist, but is a woman" in an attempt to not alienate male voters. ¶10. (U) Within a party considered to represent elite "oligarchy", Viteri's life story could help her separate herself from the elite associations of her party and Febres Cordero and even achieve a sort of "outsider" status. Baki also thought that being a woman was one of Viteri's main campaign strengths. Before entering politics, Viteri was a television journalist and is considered attractive. Ironically, Pachano believes Viteri's good looks could hurt her in that it may cause some voters to take her less seriously. Others thought Viteri's experience with the media would help her campaign. Gender Unlikely To Affect Stability -------------- ¶11. (U) As a country that has seen three straight elected Presidents removed from office before completing their terms in recent years, most do not think a female presidency would be any weaker. Pachano said that having a female president would not make Ecuador any more unstable, as Ecuador had structural instability. Baki believes the strength of women politicians is their ability to work towards consensus. Baki thinks that Viteri has already demonstrated the ability to achieve consensus within her own party. All agree that in the turbulent world of Ecuadorian politics, Viteri, if elected will need to seek alliances and consensus in order to have a chance at finishing a four year term. Viteri Could Advance To Second Round -------------- ¶12. (U) Viteri is currently ranked second in early presidential polling, after former Vice President Leon Roldos and is nearly tied with Alvaro Noboa. Most voters remain undecided, however. Viteri's chances to make it to the second round runoff will depend in part on her choice of a running mate. All agreed the best choice for Viteri would be a highlander, with Pachano suggesting someone in the center or center-left (to balance the center-right PSC). By balancing the ticket, Viteri would boost her approval ratings and credibility in the Sierra. Comment -------------- ¶13. (SBU) Congress is in desperate need of new and capable leaders, male and female. The quota increases for women have helped bring new faces into the arena. The viability of Viteri's presidential candidacy adds another real prospect for women's political advancement. But victory is by no means certain, and the Viteri campaign is cautiously emphasizing unifying themes to attract cross-over voters, preferring not to be seen as an overly feminist campaign. Given the baggage that comes from her party, Viteri's gender can only help distinguish her from discredited male PSC leaders. JEWELL