Diana Atamaint on a nine-day tour of the United States and Asia to talk to migrants about voting abroad – 2024-02-21 11:21:44

2024-02-21 11:21:44

For nine days the president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Diana Atamaint Wamputsarwill be outside the country, embarking on a trip through the United States and Asia to approach Ecuadorian migrants and talk to them about voting abroad.

Diana Atamaint together with Tayron Valarezo, an official of the Electoral Council, embarked on a journey that began in New York (United States) on February 8 and 9; Then, as estimated, they would take a flight to Istanbul (Turkey) for an agenda on the 10th and 11th.

On the 15th and 16th I would be in Jakarta (Indonesia); and would return to Connecticut (United States) for three days: February 17, 18 and 19.

The justification: “to reach out to Ecuadorian migrants and have first-hand experience about voting abroad.”

The total cost required by the per diem authority is not known. Only one official letter dated February 9 details that Atamaint’s agenda was expanded and a budget reform was made to manage resources of $3,770.55.

According to the document, the per diem account had a balance of $1,000 and, to obtain the remainder, it was taken from the item for the renewal of the lease of a property for the National Electoral Council, which had $32,480, of which was decreased by $2,770.

With this, the per diem payment item increased by $2,770.

Due to this transfer of values, the National Planning and Projects Directorate alerted the Administrative Directorate that it must observe and apply the current regulations for the development of the activity, ensuring the principles of austerity; as well as, for compliance with the internal control standards of the General Contralory of the State.

“The determination of the required budget as well as its budget execution are the exclusive responsibility of the National Administrative Directorate,” the memorandum states.

For Ecuadorians abroad, voting is optional and, according to the latest electoral registry, in Jakarta (Indonesia) there are 28 voters.

There is no registration in Istanbul, but there is in Ankara with 27 Ecuadorians authorized to vote.

In New York there are 26,059 voters and in Connecticut 10,731, taking into account that the United States is one of the countries with the largest number of Ecuadorian migrants.

The National Electoral Council had taken this trip by surprise, since this February 9 the plenary session declared itself to be in the electoral period and approved the calendar of planning activities for the national elections of February 9, 2025.

The event was expected to be in person due to the importance of the activity, but it was virtual because Atamaint was out of the country and on the verge of the Carnival holiday.

This also happens amid complaints from several of the directors. Elena Nájera usually demands austerity from Atamaint in contracts related to communication; and, from José Cabrera and Enrique Pita who have asked the Ministry of Economy and Finance the allocation of around $10 million for the payment of amounts owed from electoral processes since 2021 for suppliers, members of voter receiving boards, media and workers hired for different electoral activities.

In addition, the organization must prepare three electoral processes: the election of parish council members in three provinces; the popular consultation and referendum of eleven questions proposed by the president, Daniel Noboa; and, the presidential elections of 2025.

All this, at a time when the Government of Daniel Noboa implements ‘austerity’ policies to have resources and finance what it has called the “war against terrorism” after the declaration of internal armed conflict and, given the lack of resources, He kept public sector officials for nine days without canceling their salaries.

Diana Atamaint, president of the CNE (i) with Daniel Noboa (d) in the delivery of the credentials of his election as president of the Republic, in the early elections of October 2023. Photo: Taken from the CNE Photo: Courtesy

The Public Service Law (Losep) and its regulations allow the assignment of a monetary stipend or daily value that servers receive for institutional service needs for accommodation and food expenses during the performance of institutional services.

However, the regulation establishes in its article 264 that It is prohibited to “authorize the performance of institutional services during holidays or mandatory rest days, except in exceptional cases duly justified by the appointing authority or its delegate.”

Source: Radio Huancavilca