Newark Ecuadoreans Seek Political Representation

The New Jersey Ecuadorean community has its major stronghold in Newark, outnumbering that of Hackensack. For this reason, local residents are hoping for the emergence of a personality that would unite them and seek representation in the local City Council.

“It would be good to have an Ecuadorean representing us as a Council member,” said Vicente Villalta, a Loja native, from his business Constelación Musical on Ferry Street. “And, later tomorrow, as mayor. Why not? This is the land of opportunity.”

Newark’s more than 30 Ecuadorean restaurants offer such typical dishes as encebollado [fish soup], guatita [tripe] soup, tortillas with chorizo, chaufalán [rice dish], and other specialties from the Pacific, Andean and Amazon forest regions.

Diego Muñoz, president of the Ecuadorian American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, which organizes the local patriotic festivities for the 207th anniversary of Ecuador’s independence, said that the community’s presence in Newark dates back to the 1960s. However, he pointed out that the Ecuadoreans’ public involvement in the city only started in 2010.

For the moment, Council member Augusto Amador, of Portuguese heritage, is considered “the Ecuadoreans’ favorite child,” said Muñoz. “Amador is helping us seek help to fund the festival and the parade, and he is always willing to help out the community where necessary.”

The manager added that lack of unity is preventing the election of an Ecuadorean leader to represent the community at City Hall.

“I’m not talking about myself. What I’m saying is that we have lots of young people, men and women, who are very prepared and professional – business people – who could represent Ecuadoreans in Newark,” he said.

Ecuadorean Vicente Avilés, a Newark resident for 34 years who worked for 24 years as a city inspector, is not losing hope.

“Unity is an important factor, and we can achieve it on the least expected day. We have people who are prepared. We only need a unity push,” said Avilés, who recalled that for 24 years the national Ecuadorean flag has been raised in Newark.

He added that the Ecuadorean presence has been crucial in the key moments in which Hispanic representatives have been elected in the city.

“For the past 15 to 20 years we have seen a bigger Latino community in general, and Ecuadorean in particular, since we worked together to elect Council member Quintana, who was deputy mayor during the Sharpe James administration, and he was even named interim mayor,” he said.

Avilés thinks the Ecuadorean community strengthened when the Ecuador consulate was moved from Jersey City to Newark, thanks to the advocacy of Ecuadorean economist Luigi Campaña, who worked under the administrations of Sharpe James and Cory Booker, and who now works on the Jersey City Board of Education.

This story was translated to English by Voices of NY.