The concept of “partidocracy” is a catchphrase between urban legend and sheer nonsense that, rolled along the country’s highways and chaquiñas, led most to believe that political parties ruled Ecuador, something that was not true in Ecuador. 1999 and never ever been. The four biggest caudillos who ruled the country never did so accompanied by solid and organic political parties. García Moreno and Alfaro were supported by conservative or liberal tendencies, diffuse movements with little or no permanent structure, in which their strong individualities floated. More than a decade after these two powerful figures died, the Republican Catholic Party and the Radical Liberal Party were founded, claiming to represent the thinking of their respective leaders. And you’ll notice that not one of them has been able to bring one of their affiliates to Carondelet in clean and clear processes. For their part, Velasco Ibarra and Rafael Correa did their best not to create real parties around them.

It seems to me that it is not the historical repetition of the alienation of its leaders that has made Ecuadorians averse to political organization, but that this tendency is rooted in the psychological DNA of the population, inclined not to live in an organized way, without a vision of the future, without assuming permanent obligations. Dissatisfied with discipline and systematic efforts, not to mention the habit of indulging in emotions instead of ideas, we reach ecstasy with the verbal and bilious outpourings of fickle leaders. In the late 1990s, a small attempt at a party system was stifled by the over-repeated nonsense of “partidocracy”.

There are almost no leaders trained for political action, with a complete vision of the phenomenon of the state and a proven ability to work. That is why the parties on their lists reach for athletes, dancers, communicators, in short, those who “sounded” in any activity, as if politics were any activity. If there were broad-based parties, with proposals developed in long-term work, they would form the cores of political learning and formation of leaders, as is the case in republics that deserve such a name. I can’t imagine a more important career for society than politics, since fundamental decisions in all fields come from those who make them: security, public health, education, justice, economy. How irresponsible it is to leave the overall management of all this to improvised entertainers and backing vocalists who are placed there “because they sound”. How different it would be if we had people with many years of experience, who had already held positions at the local, provincial and national level. I think, for example, that for the candidacy for representative or president, the most consideration should be the mayors who have worked successfully and honestly. But it’s not like that, the most proven leaders are being pushed out by bajaders and montebanks, and the parrots enthusiastically repeat “no partidocracia, no partidocracia”. (OR)