Election Night

On November 4th I went to a bar in the Mariscal - the New as opposed to Historic Center of Quito. There was quite an eclectic mix of nationalities - North Americans, Ecuadorians, Europeans, Central Americans. Support for Obama, however, was nearly unanimous - a reality reflected by the press in Ecuador, by the taxi cab drivers who love to talk politics, and by my friends from the region.

While domestic enthusiasm ranges from those who do not have much faith in the US political system to those who believe Obama will usher in a new US leadership inthe world, the positive reaction was unmistakeable. Whether Democrat or Republican, I think that the positive response of Ecuador to Obama's election - reflected in my personal "gringo" favorability rating rising a remarkable 57% - is noteworthy.