According to an assistant to the municipal president of Otavalo, the following individuals won the four municipal counsellor positions during the 5 July 1996 municipal elections: Victor Perez of the Ecuadoran Roldosist Party (Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano, PRE), Byron Velasquo and Manuel Ayala of the Democratic Left Party (Izquierda Democrática, ID) and Marcia Sanchez (19 November 1997). The assistant added that a candidate from the Ecuadoran Popular Revolutionary Action (Acción Popular Revolucionaria Ecuatoriana, APRE) also ran during the municipal elections, but failed to win a position (ibid.).

However, in a 21 November 1997 telephone interview, the director of the Electoral Tribunal of Imbabura stated that municipal elections took place on 19 May 1996 during Ecuador's general elections. The director, however, could not provide specific information on the elections in Otavalo. A 24 May 1996 NotiSur report and a 23 July 1996 Washington Post report also state that general elections to elect a president, provincial and municipal councils took place on 19 May 1996.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Municipalidad de Otavalo, Ecuador. 19 November 1997. Telephone interview with an assistant to the president.

NotiSur - Latin American Political Affairs [Albuquerque, N. Mex.]. 24 May 1996. "Ecuador: Presidential Election Results in Runoff Between Jaime Nebot & Abdala Bucaram." (NEXIS)

Tribunal Electoral de Imbabura, Ecuador. 21 November 1997. Telephone interview with the director.

The Washington Post. 23 July 1996. Final Edition. Gabriel Escobar. "Indians of Ecuador Coalescing in Quest for Political Power." (NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996. 1997.

Extremist Groups. 1996.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1996.

Political Handbook of the World 1997. 1997.

Political Parties of the Americas. 1992.

Resource Centre country file: Ecuador. 1996.

Revolutionary Movements of the World. 1991.

Electronic sources: IRB Databases, Global News Bank, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD (UNHCR database), World News Connection (WNC).