With an environmentalist message, Yaku Pérez has become the dark horse candidate in Ecuador's presidential race.
Yaku Pérez Guartambel campaigns to become Ecuador's first indigenous president.Courtesy of Pérez campaign
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The rainbow colors of the Wiphala, a symbol of indigenous identity in the Andes, surround Yaku Pérez Guartambel as he attempts to make history: If elected in Ecuador’s presidential election on February 7, the lawyer and environmentalist would be the country’s first indigenous president.
Pérez’s rise is surprising. Less than 10% of Ecuador’s population identifies as indigenous, and indigenous candidates have not traditionally had success in national elections. And yet, Pérez, who has made ancestral themes and language central to his campaign, is polling among the top three contenders in a crowded field of candidates. Experts credit a broad political agenda that appeals to leftist voters who don’t want to see former socialist President Rafael Correa make a comeback vis-à-vis his handpicked candidate, Andrés Arauz, who is polling first.