The final phase of voting has begun. Last night’s debate between Ecuadorian presidential candidate Daniel Nobo Azín, sponsored by the National Democratic Action Alliance (ADN), list 4-35, and Luisa González, supported by the Civil Revolution movement, list 5, left the door open for more than 13 million voters to define or reaffirm their support with their vote for any of the two candidates.

We are less than two weeks away from making an individual decision that will have a collective impact on the future of Ecuador. That is why the civilized act on October 15 must be thought out, well informed and, above all, aware of who we will give the duty of managing the country for a period of less than a year and a half.

Read the latest news about the elections in Ecuador

Should we prepare to go to the polls and cast our vote? Those who deal with issues of democracy and monitoring of electoral processes in every electoral process remind that the most important thing before going to the elections is to be informed, starting with who the candidates are, their professional career, their honesty, to review the programs of their governments and to distinguish between whether viable or not, or at least read all their proposals and thus avoid falling into post-election disappointment.

The candidates have eleven days left of the pre-election campaign, which will be intense and aggressive, especially on social networks.to convince the undecided electorate, which, according to figures released last week, is around 13%.

Then there will be two days of election silence, a kind of civic reflection on the responsibility of voting.

Which of the candidates managed to listen to those citizens who opt for urgent solutions to the issues of unemployment, access to health care and education, remains to be seen on October 15; and above all in managing the crisis arising from violence, insecurity and organized crime operating in the country. (OR)