Ecuador Presidential Runoff: Incumbent President Noboa Wins

On Sunday (April 13), Daniel Noboa, the incumbent president of Ecuador and candidate of the “National Democratic Action,” won the presidential runoff with a significant lead. However, his opponent has requested a recount.

According to the data released by the National Electoral Council of Ecuador on the evening of the 13th, with a vote count of 93%, Noboa received 55.84% of the votes, while the left-wing “Citizen Revolution Movement” candidate, lawyer Luisa González, received 44.16%.

The 37-year-old Noboa narrowly won in the first round of voting in February, but as his vote share did not exceed 50%, a runoff with González was necessary.

This victory gives Noboa four years to fulfill the promises he made during his first campaign in 2023. Despite his limited political experience, he won the interim election and has now been serving as president for 16 months.

“Ecuador is changing… and this path will mean that our children will have a better life than us,” Noboa said in a brief speech to his supporters. At the same time, he criticized his opponent’s allegations of “electoral fraud.”

He said, “With a difference of 11 or 12 percentage points, they have come out to question the will of Ecuadorian voters, which is embarrassing.”

He added, “The people of Ecuador have made their choice, and now it’s time for us to start working.”

Noboa is the son of the billionaire “Banana King,” and it is expected that he will implement a “firm hand” policy to combat crime and eliminate gang influence.

Since 2021, Ecuador has seen a significant increase in crimes related to cocaine production and trafficking with neighboring countries Colombia and Peru, with voters most concerned about how to address the issue of violent crime.

In this election, both candidates pledged to take tough measures against crime, provide better law enforcement equipment, and cooperate with the international community to combat international drug trafficking groups and local criminal organizations.