[NYTr] Ecuador: Campaign Heats Up over Constituent Assembly

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Ecuador: Campaign Heats Up over Constituent Assembly

Quito, Sep 3 (Prensa Latina) Ecuadorian movements and political parties
are sending more aggressive messages in their almost door-to-door
campaign, 27 days before the Constituent Assembly elections.

The candidates made weekend tours of markets and streets of the most
populous cities: Quito, Guayaquil (Guayas Province) and Portoviejo
(Manabi).

The leading groups are the governing Alianza Pais, Polo Democratico,
the Socialists, Pachakutik, Social Christians and Renovador
Institucional (Prian).

While both Social Christians and Prian originally opposed a Constituent
Assembly, they now have candidates and are attacking the government,
Social Christians declaring votes for them would eliminate alleged
plans to dispense with the US dollar as currency.

Alianza Pais meanwhile has expanded its television campaign and is
warning the people that the rightwing parties are wolves in sheep's
clothing.

The parties are expected to increase visits to the provinces, where 80
percent of the people do not know who the candidates are.

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Correa Wants Free, High-Quality Education for Ecuador

Quito, Sep 3 (Prensa Latina) Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa
defended free, high quality education Monday, when he inaugurated the
2007-2008 academic year in the provinces of La Sierra and La Amazonia.

Education must be absolutely free and teachers are in charge of
contributing to achieve high quality teaching, Correa highlighted from
Abdon Calderon State School south of Quito.

He pointed out "the future and present of the children only depends on
the teachers and it is a task of great responsibility to be a teacher"
since if there is no education, there is no development.

Correa participated in handing out teaching materials and in the free
school breakfast given to 1,200 children Abdon Calderon and Primicias
de la Cultura schools.

He also urged parents to be vigilant of the education of their children.

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