The PAIS movement held member meetings in Guayas’ 24 municipal districts (cantones) over the weekend. The party, led by President Rafael Correa, has to define their candidates for the local and provincial elections which will be held in February 2013. 

In most of the 24 cantones, the process went smoothly. But in Milagro, the canton of Guayas’ second largest city, Alianza PAIS factions clashed over who should be the party’s mayoral candidate.

Seven main factions of PAIS were represented:

Poder Cívico Ciudadano (PCC), led by district attorney Antonio Gagliardo;

Frente de Lucha Ciudadana (FLC), led by assembly-member Nicolás Issa;

Alianza PAIS -PCD, President Correas sister Pierinas group;

MD, led by María de los Ángeles Duarte;

Equidad Democrática Ciudadana, which is President Correas high school chum Juan Carlos Cassinellis group;

and ABA, led by María Alejandra Vicuña.

Candidates for mayor must be registered with the national elections council by Nov. 15.

The PCC proposed the current Minister of Sport, Francisco Cevallos, for the candidacy. The FLC support the candidacy of Denisse Robles, who is a currently a National Assembly member for Guayas. Francisco Asan, the mayor of Milagro, has the support of the PCD.

Disagreements between the different factions were so fierce, police had to expell some people from the membership meeting.

After the police intervened, Pierina Correa from the PCD took the microphone and spoke to the crowd. She supported the incumbent mayor, saying of the other candidates that Cevallos is “an enemy of Guayas, and I can prove it” and that Robles should serve the post she was elected to in the Assembly, instead of using it as a springboard to become mayor.

Robles, meanwhile, said her name was proposed for the candidacy by the FLC membership, and that she respects the decision of the party.

“I will go where God, my people, and most of all where president Correa needs me,” she said.

Original story