In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with sheep. Teacher sheep, schoolgirls, grocers, singers and even migrating sheep, all playful and with innocent looks. Through this electoral tactic, the correísmo attempts what is called a “stigma reversal,” that is, taking the term used to insult them and adopting it as a symbol of identity and collective pride. After years of RC5 supporters being called “sheep” for following their leader without a joke, what this campaign strategy aims to do is to lose the shame of identifying with that submissive animal and be able to say “yeah, I’m a sheep, so what?” , or even, “yes, I’m a sheep, and congratulations!”.

Resignation of ‘made in Springfield’

But the use of these cartoon sheep actually has another purpose, which is rarely discussed. And it is that through these infantile animals, correísmo not only seeks to make its militants feel proud to be called “sheep”, but also seeks to portray itself as a joyful, innocent and youthful movement. A game that exudes innocence and a playful look. The reasons for this are clear: for many Ecuadorians, the RC5 movement represents the complete opposite.

Sheep, tiktoks, songs and slogans, strategies of candidates for the Presidency in the pre-campaign

The first image that comes to many people’s minds when they hear the word “correísmo” is that of the supreme leader tearing the newspaper to shreds with his classic Saturdays. Episodes of trivial and senseless persecution also come to mind, such as the “El Universo case”, which cost Ecuador a conviction by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, or the imprisonment of Francisco Sampedro, criminally accused of “terrorism”. for the crime of carrying a doll in the shape of a sheep (the irony of life!). Others may first remember the unpleasant episode “30-S”, with all its violence and subsequent persecution. Some, on the other hand, may remember the “ten Luluncots”, the persecution of Galo Lara, the kidnapping of Fernando Balda, the closing of the newspaper Hoy or perhaps the death of Jorge Gabela. Episodes multiply easily.

Wolves wrap themselves in playful sheepskins, lest the city forget what they really are.

And it is that for most Ecuadorians correísmo immediately evokes memories of insults, threats, violence and persecution. A movement that empowered its bases through a discourse of conflict, attack and ridicule of anyone who dared not think like them. The constant discourse of “us” against “them”, i.e. “us” against “pelukons”, “corrupt press”, “horrible fatties”, “failed Indians”, “traitors to the motherland”, “cocktail mummy” or any other creative insult that the shepherd of the flock came up with that week to denigrate anyone who does not bow his head before him.

That correísmo strategists now want to be associated with smiling stuffed sheep may be a sign that they’ve realized that hate speech doesn’t sell like it used to. Wolves wrap themselves in playful sheepskins, lest the city forget what they really are. Are we going to believe them? (OR)