During a meeting in Queens with Ecuadorians now residing in the United States, presidential candidate León Roldós Aguilera – the front-runner in Ecuador’s polls – promised to help end the need for Ecuadorians to migrate illegally to foreign countries.

Roldós promised to enhance the quality of life in Ecuador and to create better employment opportunities.

He also proposed the creation of an ambitious new repatriation project for those who want to return to their native country. Roldós spoke of analyzing the viability of creating what he terms a “Fifth Region,” comprised of Ecuadorians who live abroad.

Roldós says he has a strong agenda for Ecuadorians who’ve left the country. “Ecuadorians who live abroad have the same rights and duties as their compatriots who still live at home. They have the duty to remain a central part of the nation’s politics and to stay in contact with the country’s offices who serve migrants, so that we can remain cognizant of what’s happening in the lives of our nationals,” Roldós said to the applause of those in attendance.

“Our embassies and consulates have to provide our nationals with all of the legal assistance they require. They must meet with immigration organizations there and help our nationals get legal assistance. They have to aid our nationals by ensuring that those countries who receive our emigrants realize the value of the human capital they are receiving and that those countries also promote the human dignity of these migrants,” he added.

The presidential aspirant acknowledged that, without wanting to make demands on how emigrants use their savings, he would like to stimulate investment in Ecuador, by working to end tariffs on capital goods and investments. “I would like to create a bank whose main purpose would be to stimulate investments,” Roldós said.

The candidate spoke at length about the voting rights of Ecuadorians living overseas. “An Ecuadorian’s right to vote from abroad should be guaranteed, not merely by registering in the new places where they reside, but also by their having the option of using the national registry available through the Internet.”

According to Roldós, it is important that Ecuadorians living abroad know that dual nationality does not affect their right to vote in Ecuador and that, under no circumstances, will their activities as immigrants in other countries restrict or limit their rights or duties as Ecuadorians.