Rafael Correa tries, through his sister, to register his candidacy for the vice-presidency from Belgium

Rafael Correa would seek to be a candidate for vice president in 2021 3:31

(CNN Spanish) -

Former President Rafael Correa, who has resided in Belgium since 2017, tried this Tuesday, apparently without success, to register through his sister the acceptance of his candidacy for the vice-presidency of the Republic of Ecuador for the February elections of 2021, a few days after the cassation appeal is resolved for his sentence to 8 years in prison for the crime of bribery.

Accompanied by sympathizers and supporters, her sister Pierina Correa went to the delegation of the National Electoral Council (CNE) in Quito with a written power of attorney granted by the ex-president so that on his behalf he could register his acceptance of the aspiration before the CNE.

The CNE requires that the acceptance of the pre-candidatures be carried out in person and cannot be delegated at the electoral offices by the candidates.

Pierina Correa affirmed that the registration form with Rafael Correa's electronic signature, the power of attorney and other required documents can allow their registration.

However, according to Correa's sister, the CNE did not provide her with the registration form.

Former President Correa was connected by video call and despite the refusal of one of the electoral authorities, Pierina Correa asked her brother to speak.

"Using my right to participate in free elections, I clearly evidence my acceptance of the candidacy for the vice-presidency of the Republic together with Andrés Arauz, as it was decided in the primaries," Correa said through a tablet computer.

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Enough cheating.

They have no pretext to avoid my candidacy, they know that they will be defeated next February, ”emphasized the ex-president.

Correa pointed out that he also presented a certificate indicating that he must remain in quarantine for two weeks due to the pandemic and that for that reason he did not physically present himself to the Ecuadorian consulate in Belgium.

The former president of Ecuador has also had a prison order since 2018 for the kidnapping of an opposition activist, despite the fact that Correa has denied the accusations.

A CNE spokesperson told CNN that there is no provision for the documents carried by Correa's sister to be received if he is not physically there.

The former president said that he also sent his documentation by email to the CNE and the OAS.

The CNE must review the documentation of all candidates for the presidential and legislative elections so that after a process of legal analysis it is determined if they are authorized to participate officially, so that they are formally considered candidates.

The "Union for Hope" coalition, which promotes the candidacy of Rafael Correa to the vice presidency and Andrés Arauz to the presidency, elected the two candidates in primaries on August 22.

This Thursday, September 3, a court of the National Court of Justice will resolve the appeal presented by the defense of former President Correa on the sentence to 8 years in prison for the crime of bribery issued in April of this year.

The Electoral Law prevents a person from participating in an election if they have a final judgment, that is, when they have exhausted all legal instances in Ecuador.

Rafael Correa