Ecuador Presidential Election Heads to Run-Off as Noboa, Gonzalez Finish Neck-Neck
Ecuador’s presidential election is heading to a second-round run-off between incumbent President Daniel Noboa, representing the hard-right, and Luisa Gonzalez, a left-wing challenger and political protégé of former President Rafael Correa, Al Jazeera reports.
Preliminary results show the two candidates in a remarkably tight race, with neither securing the required 50% to win outright.
With 80% of ballots tallied from Sunday’s first-round vote, the National Electoral Council (CNE) reported that Noboa had garnered 44.4% of the vote, narrowly edging out Gonzalez, who secured a surprising 44.1%. The remaining 14 candidates trailed far behind, highlighting the stark division in the electorate amidst a backdrop of economic struggles and a surge in drug-related violence.
Gonzalez, 47, of the Citizen Revolution Movement party, exceeded pre-election expectations, fueled by a late surge in support. Addressing jubilant supporters in Quito, she declared the race a “statistical tie” and celebrated what she called a “great victory.”
Noboa, the 37-year-old son of a billionaire banana magnate, had hoped to secure an outright victory after assuming office 14 months ago to complete his predecessor’s term. Pre-election surveys had suggested a more comfortable lead for the incumbent. Despite falling short of a first-round win, Noboa’s supporters celebrated in Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s two largest cities, with fireworks displays.
The election is widely seen as a referendum on Ecuador’s struggling economy and Noboa’s “mano dura,” or iron-fisted, approach to combating escalating crime. A surge in murders, kidnappings, and extortion, fueled by drug cartels, has gripped the nation. Noboa has responded with strong executive action, including declaring a state of emergency and deploying the military to patrol the streets.
However, his aggressive tactics have drawn criticism. Human rights groups allege that the increased military presence has led to abuses, citing the recent discovery of the charred bodies of four boys near an army base as a tragic example.
On election day, Noboa further tightened security by deploying heavily armed soldiers to polling stations and closing the borders with Colombia and Peru.
Adding to the political complexity, Noboa has been embroiled in a long-running dispute with his vice president, centered on the legality of taking campaign leave. This week, the Constitutional Court ruled invalid two decrees Noboa used to take campaign leave in the first round, potentially complicating his ability to appoint an interim vice president and campaign effectively leading up to the run-off election. The date for the second round has yet to be announced.
