What are the functions and powers of those who will assume the prefectures of the country

This Sunday, February 5, 5,667 new sectional authorities will be elected nationwide; 23 prefects, 221 mayors, 864 urban councillors, 443 rural councillors, 4,109 parish council members and 7 members of the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control.

Ecuador has 23 prefectures, only the province of Galapagos does not elect a prefect because it has a special government regime. Its administration is in charge of a Government Council chaired by a representative of the Presidency of the Republic and made up of the mayors of the municipalities of the province of Galapagos, representatives of the parish councils and the representatives of the organizations determined by the law.

Functions and powers of prefects

Articles 49 and 50 of the Cootad establish its functions that cover administrative, budgetary and regulatory aspects. Among the main ones are:

• Exercise the legal representation of the provincial Decentralized Autonomous Government and present ordinance projects, according to the matters that are of competence.
• Call and preside with voice and vote the sessions of the provincial council, for which he must propose the agenda in advance. He will have the casting vote in the event of a tie in the votes of the legislative and supervisory body.
• Direct the elaboration of the Provincial Development Plan and that of territorial ordering, in accordance with the National Development Plan and the plans of the different decentralized autonomous governments, within the framework of plurinationality, interculturality and respect for diversity, with citizen participation and other actors from the public sectors and society and decide the administrative management model.
• Prepare the annual operating plan and the corresponding institutional budget statement in accordance with the provincial development and territorial planning plan, observing the participatory procedures indicated in this Code.
• Sign contracts, agreements and instruments that commit the provincial Decentralized Autonomous Government, in accordance with the law.
• Approve, under its civil, criminal and administrative responsibility, transfers of budget items, supplements and credit reductions.
• Coordinate a citizen security plan in accordance with the reality of each province and in harmony with the national citizen security plan, articulating for this purpose the autonomous provincial government, the central government through the corresponding body, the citizenry, and the National Police. (YO)