The debate manual sets out what presidential candidates Luisa González and Daniel Noboa, nor their campaign teams or the media, will be able to do this October 1.

It is a good initiative that they come with clear rules to the mandatory meeting where the Ecuadorians will have two hours to listen to their proposals.

The debate, which starts at 7 p.m., will be divided into four blocks. In it, political actors must respect voters in order to give them the opportunity to analyze their approaches and even their personalities in detail. The debate cannot be a fair of false promises or a scenario of discredit and insults, they must understand it that way and show the political maturity that the country needs so much.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) is committed to ensuring that this debate takes place safely and within the democratic framework that Ecuador requires.

There is no room for technical or coordination failures. Political parties and presidential candidates must analyze the regulations to avoid inconvenience or misunderstandings.

The key point is that applicants will not use supporting material, i.e. they will not be able to bring illustrations, graphs, diaries, books or magazines. There will also be no bars within the set.

Opinions cannot be expressed in the media during the Sunday debate, nor in advertising spaces. This kind of decision by the selection judge is interesting, but respectable, given that there is mostly a parallel discussion on social networks with the wide participation of sympathizers, citizens and even trolls.

In any case, what should prevail this Sunday is analysis, beyond political strategies.

The CNE has an obligation to develop the debate within the framework of transparency, good standards and successful transmission in accordance with its slogan of allowing an informed vote. (OR)