Judicial Reform Likely in Ecuador

Cedatos, a polling firm in Ecuador, expects President Rafael Correa to handily win a May 7 referendum to overhaul the country’s judicial system. Chief among the ten ballot proposals is the establishment of a temporary panel—to be replaced by a five-member council with a six-year mandate—that will appoint top judges. Other measures on the ballot include a ban on bull fighting and (with less popular support) a prohibition on banks and media companies from owning businesses outside their industry.

Mr. Correa insists passage of the proposals will help root out corruption among Ecuador’s elites. Presumably, he isn’t referring to members of the executive branch.