Rebranded movement struggles with internal fractures and strategic missteps.

The newly inaugurated National Assembly has opened its term with a decisive setback for Ecuador’s leftist political faction formerly known as the Citizen Revolution. Now rebranded as the Bancada Ciudadana (Citizens’ Bench), the bloc finds itself weakened by poor planning, internal division, and symbolic defeats that underscore its waning influence.

Despite the rebranding effort, the first week of legislative work exposed deep structural vulnerabilities in the party founded by former president Rafael Correa. Lacking the votes and alliances needed to protect its interests, the movement watched helplessly as the ruling National Democratic Action (ADN) party took control of key positions and committees, pushing Correísmo to the political margins of the Assembly.

A Fumbled Opening

The Assembly is a place where power is built on numbers, not rhetoric. This hard truth was made clear when the Citizens’ Bench failed to block the ruling party’s moves in two decisive sessions: the initial leadership vote and the distribution of permanent committees. In both cases, the government outmaneuvered the opposition bloc—leaving it sidelined from the powerful Legislative Administration Council (CAL) and underrepresented in commission leadership.

Part of the problem may be psychological. The Citizens’ Revolution once carried the momentum of a movement that had reshaped Ecuadorian politics for more than a decade. But its transformation into the more generic sounding “Citizens’ Bench” may signal, intentionally or not, a step away from that revolutionary fire. Instead of regrouping as a unified and strategic force, the bloc appears confused and reactive.

Mónica Salazar: A Missed Red Flag

One of the most damaging errors came in the form of legislative defection. Assemblywoman Mónica Salazar, reelected under the Citizen Revolution banner, announced her departure from the movement in mid-April, citing a lack of support from Correa himself. Despite this clear warning, the party failed to act quickly. Salazar’s vote soon became pivotal in helping the ruling ADN party and its allies secure control of CAL.

In a calculated political play, Salazar was installed on the Council as if she were still representing the opposition. The Citizens’ Bench, caught flat-footed, missed its chance to expel her in time, allowing the government to claim a position that technically belonged to the opposition while denying them actual representation. The move was legal—but devastating.

A Failed Gambit at Division

Desperate to hold onto influence, the movement attempted a last-minute maneuver in the inaugural session by splitting its ranks into two factions: one under the traditional Correísmo label and another called the People’s Party. This would have allowed them to double their CAL representation. But the ploy collapsed under legal scrutiny.

Ecuadorian legislative rules don’t permit assembly members from the same party or electoral alliance to form distinct blocs. The so-called People’s Caucus was ruled ineligible, killing the plan before it could begin. Instead of increasing their leverage, the Citizens’ Bench further fragmented its presence.

No Counterstrategy on Commissions

The political cost of this disarray became evident in the distribution of permanent commissions. Despite the mathematical reality that no party holds an outright majority—77 votes are required—the opposition failed to forge counter-alliances to check the ruling bloc.

Viviana Veloz, a former Assembly president and current coordinator of the Citizens’ Bench, appeared unable to negotiate a favorable position. Neither did veteran Correístas such as Xavier Lasso or Ricardo Patiño. The result: pro-Correa lawmakers were scattered among commissions with little strategic advantage, losing control of key areas of oversight and legislative initiative.

Symbolism Matters—And Correísmo Lost There Too

Beyond structure and strategy, the Assembly is a stage where symbolism carries significant political weight. And here, too, the Citizens’ Bench suffered bruising losses.

One particularly bitter defeat came with the appointment of Ferdinan Álvarez as president of the Oversight Committee. Once a staunch Correa supporter, Álvarez had broken from the movement in October 2023 amid a public dispute involving former Vice President Jorge Glas. His new role at the helm of one of the Assembly’s most powerful commissions, now aligned with ADN, was both a political coup and a stinging betrayal.

Equally stinging was the government’s decision to place two Correísta assembly members who are currently engaged in legal disputes against each other—Ana María Raffo and Ana Belén Yela—on the same commission. The feud between them stems from a public scandal involving leaked chats tied to the downfall of Luisa González’s 2025 presidential campaign. That they now must sit side by side on the Education, Culture, Science, Technology, and Ancestral Knowledge Committee seems less like administrative coincidence and more like deliberate humiliation.

Powerless in the Face of Executive Strategy

The government’s overarching strategy is now clear: dominate key administrative and oversight positions to minimize the opposition’s ability to scrutinize, obstruct, or sway public opinion. In this regard, the first week of Assembly activity has been an overwhelming success for President Daniel Noboa and his party. Conversely, it has been a sobering wake-up call for Correísmo.

The Citizens’ Bench now faces an uphill climb to restore its footing in the legislature. Its early missteps have left it with diminished power, fractured unity, and few tools to fight back. Whether the movement can regroup in the months ahead will determine if this is a temporary low point—or the beginning of political irrelevance.