GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — Ecuador’s political landscape is poised for an intense showdown as conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa and leftist challenger Luisa González are set to face each other in a runoff election slated for April 13. This comes after neither candidate secured a decisive victory in the initial voting round among a pool of 16 contenders.
In an election heavily influenced by the public’s demands for drastic reductions in crime and improvements to public safety, both Noboa and González have now shifted their focus to winning a full four-year term to implement their agendas effectively. They aim to address the significant crime wave attributed to cocaine trafficking, which originates primarily from Ecuador’s neighbors, Colombia and Peru.
During his temporary tenure that began following a snap election in October 2023 considered necessary after then-President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the National Assembly, Noboa has seen his policies and their impacts scrutinized by the populace. Despite his successfully reducing the national homicide rate from 46.18 to 38.76 per 100,000 people, the rates still starkly contrast with the significantly lower rate of 6.85 per 100,000 recorded in 2019.
Ecuadorians, compelled by civic duty with a mandatory voting requirement, showed high electoral participation with more than 83% of approximately 13.7 million eligible voters casting ballots. The preliminary count given by Ecuador’s National Electoral Council indicated a neck-and-neck race: Noboa captured over 3.71 million votes, or 44.43%, and González just shy of that with more than 3.69 million votes, or 44.17%.
González, once an elusive political figure, has gained prominence rapidly with the backing of Rafael Correa’s party, which nominated her for the presidency. Correa’s legacy, marked by polarized opinions due to his authoritarian streak during the latter years of his governance, seems to resonate with a segment of voters who remember his tenure from 2007 to 2017 fondly.
On securing the streets, residents express contrasting opinions about their safety and confidence in current policies. Marta Barres, a Guayaquil mother, openly expressed her frustration over the rampant crime, viewing Noboa’s administration as ineffective and placing her hope in González to initiate comprehensive improvements to both public security and the economy.
Security during the election period was stringent, with over 100,000 police officers and military personnel deployed across the nation to maintain order and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. This underscores the gravity and tension surrounding this electoral event, reflecting the urgent call for stability and change amongst Ecuadorians.
Despite the critical view of some of his actions, Daniel Noboa’s aggressive stance against organized crime has won him a segment of dedicated supporters. Known for controversial measures, including a declared state of internal armed conflict to enable military interventions in crime-ridden areas, such hardline tactics are rooted in his earlier career in business and his eventual political ascendancy, which began with his election to the National Assembly in 2021.
As Ecuador braces for the runoff, both candidates are recalibrating their strategies and messages to resonate with an electorate clearly signaling an appetite for decisive and effective governance.
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