Ecuador’s young president, Daniel Noboa, is known for his aggressive legal and order policies and mastered social media, who failed to win the majority of votes in a re-election campaign on Sunday, forcing Louisa to Luisa González’s runoff election he defeated the left in the last presidential campaign.
About 96% of the vote counted early Monday morning, and Mr. Noboa received 44.37% of the votes. Ms. Gonzalez is the closest of his 15 rivals, owning a 43.86% stake.
Polls before the election showed that Mr. Noboa, 37, could win a majority, and a second round of votes was unnecessary. But the game proved nervous, apparently reflecting ambivalence about Mr. Noboa’s tough strategy in Ecuador, which has been plagued by a surge in drug-related violence for five years.
About an hour after the poll closed at 5 p.m., Mr. Noboa’s supporters gathered outside a hotel in the capital Quito where he was expected to speak, honk the trumpet, wave the flag, wave the flag, and then recite the scriptures “Only One round”. But by 10 pm, they were already dispersed.
At Ms. Gonzalez’s campaign headquarters near 10 p.m., hundreds of people were dancing, pouring out wine, and shouting “Live Live Luisa!”
Ms. Gonzalez said in a speech to her cheering supporters that her campaign captured the “feeling of forgotten people.”
“We don’t want a situation of war, we want peace,” she said.
Ms. Gonzalez, 47, belongs to the party led by former President Rafael Correa, a powerful and polarized figure. Many voters expressed nostalgia for low crime rates and a strong economy, which characterizes his presidency, while others remembered his authoritarian style and belief in allegations of corruption.
Mr. Noboa is a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, from one of Ecuador’s wealthiest families, part of which is based on the wealth of banana exports. He has been in office for more than a year and was elected in 2023 to complete his presidency facing impeachment.
Danger is the direction of this troubled encounter with nearly 18 million people as it deals with widespread violence and high unemployment rates that bring thousands of Ecuadorian immigrants to the United States. The country is also facing an energy crisis of prolonged power outages.
Mr. Noboa’s critics say that if he is re-elected in the second round of the vote, the vote will be held on April 13, with potentially disturbing consequences for democratic norms, rule of law and civil liberties.
Last year, after riots broke out in prison and gunmen seized the TV station, Mr. Noboa declared the state of internal armed conflict, which allowed the army to patrol the streets and prisons. He also sent police to the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest a corrupt Ecuadorian politician accused of seeking asylum there, which was seen as a crisis in violation of diplomatic agreements.
Mr. Noboa’s supporters say he is a bold leader willing to break the rules and master the power of corruption. In April, Ecuadorians recognized his difficult approach to security by voting to incorporate enhanced military presence into the law and giving the president more power to combat gang violence.
Juan Arias, 32, who owns a furniture and interior cleaning company, said Sunday at a high school in Chimbacalle, a high school in high school, where he said: “I don’t think the president will never have to have anything to do with “He said he had voted for Mr. Noboa. “For me, that’s what makes me safe as a citizen.”
But Jonathan Andino, a childhood friend of Mr. Arias, accompanied him to the polling station, said he had voted for Ms. Gonzalez, who was often with Mr. Correa’s relationship definition, because he chose her to represent him.
Mr Andino, 32, said life would be better when Mr Correa was president. “There are more jobs. Economic stability. Health, education,” he said. “The problem is that Ecuadorians have no memory; they forget things.”
Five years ago, Mr. Noboa was a politically unknown. He was elected as the Legislature of Ecuador in 2021, where he served for the term.
His predecessor as President Guillermo Lasso called for an early election in 2023 as he faces improper procedures for allegations of misappropriation of public funds. In the campaign to win the first round of voting, Mr. Noboa rose from the bottom of the polls and ranked second after a strong debate performance. He then defeated Ms. Gonzalez in runoff.
Amid a surge in gang violence, voters’ strong desire for change contributed to his victory. The 2023 presidential election itself was bloody, with a candidate being assassinated.
Mr Correa’s leftist movement has defined Ecuadorian politics for years, and some analysts say Sunday’s results show its continued visibility.
Political Risk Consulting European European Risk Consulting Risa Grais Grais Targow said Mr Noboa performed poorly in some of the country’s most serious security problems, suggesting that voters most affected by violence may be dissatisfied with their policies.
In legislative elections, which were also held on Sunday, Mr. Noboa’s party, founded less than a year ago, led Mr. Correa’s party, with 81% of the votes counting.
Ledy Zúñiga, the former Attorney General of Correa, is running for the National Assembly, opposing the idea that Ms. Gonzalez represents the past.
“Not only goes back in the past, the problem is having a team with experience and technical knowledge, because public administration is not easy,” Ms. Zúñiga said.
Despite Mr. Noboa’s tough measures, Ecuador is still everywhere. Drug trafficking has been expanding over the past five years, attracting international criminal groups and unleashing extraordinary acts of violence in a once-peaceful country. According to police data, there were more violent deaths last month than in any month in the past three years.
Many Ecuadorians accused Mr. Noboa of his harsh tactics over the death of four children in Guayas in the western province, whose burnt remains were found weeks after being forced into a military patrol vehicle in December . The case sparked anger and protests against the army, and the judge ordered the detention of 16 military personnel.
Security and economy are not the only major issues in the country. Because Ecuador depends heavily on hydropower, last year’s drought caused a 14-hour cut of about three months of power per day. The crisis shut down businesses and endangered the entire industry.
Critics say Mr. Noboa’s campaign has more definitions than specific suggestions for dealing with Ecuador’s challenge – the country is flooded with his cardboard cutouts. Mr. Noboa cleverly adopted social media to project the image of youth and vitality, attracting many people.
Mr. Noboa often talks vaguely about throwing “Old Ecuador” into the trash. Ms. Gonzalez stressed that security crises are addressed by strengthening institutions such as the justice, health and education systems.
José María León Cabrera Contribution report.
