Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, fell short of securing an outright majority in the country’s general election, setting the stage for a run-off vote against his nearest leftist rival, Luisa González. The second-round vote, scheduled for April, will decide if Ecuador sticks with Noboa’s tough crackdown on crime or seeks an alternative voice.
Noboa led the 16 candidates with 44.29% of the vote, but did not win outright as required by the constitution. González trailed closely behind at 43.85%. The president had promised to rein in rampant crime during his previous election campaign, which was called after his predecessor resigned amid a series of crises.
Noboa’s term has been marked by turbulent events, including states of emergency and military deployments to tackle gang activity. A run-off vote would decide the country’s future path on security, economy, energy crisis, and international relations.
González, a close confidante of former President Rafael Correa, has pledged to tackle the drug trade just as vigorously as Noboa. “Security is the biggest problem the government will face,” said Santiago Basabe, an analyst. The next government will need to address social inequalities, health, and education in addition to security.
The country’s upcoming challenges include tackling the international drug trade, addressing huge social inequalities, a nationwide energy crisis, and improving international relations. A run-off vote is expected to take place in April, with the outcome uncertain at this stage.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/09/americas/ecuador-election-president-noboa-gonzalez-intl-latam/index.html