Daniel Noboa, a successful businessman, won the Ecuadorian presidential election on October 15, 2023. Ecuador, a relatively stable South American country, has been marred with violence from recent political strife. Increased gang violence and the assassination of a presidential candidate has placed enormous pressure on the new president to lower crime and restore security.
The former president Guillermo Lasso, a conservative-leaning former banker, was elected in 2021. His platform included promises of increasing COVID-19 vaccination and bolstering the economy; his economic policies included supporting oil production and mining, both of which were concerns for indigenous activists living in the Amazonian region of Ecuador. Additionally, Lasso attempted to increase taxes on the wealthy, but ultimately his political power was restricted due to lack of support in the National Assembly (a unicameral version of our Congress).
His approval ratings plummeted due to an increase in prices, specifically of food and fuel, and Lasso’s response to a surge in protests also blemished his public image. He authorized law enforcement to use deadly force against protestors and additionally refused to meet with indigenous activists.
A formal impeachment inquiry was started against Lasso for charges related to embezzlement. Instead of getting impeached, Lasso opted for a form of “two-way death”. He dissolved the National Assembly but also cut his own term short, resulting in a premature presidential election. Lasso then opted against running for reelection.
While the country was already on unstable ground with the recent corruption scandal, the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio sent shock waves throughout the country. Known for his anti-corruption stance and his work uncovering organized crime, Villavicencio was killed by Colombian hitmen after giving a speech at a political rally in Quito. This assassination sparked further gang violence throughout the country, and occurred only eleven days before the date of the election. Presidential candidates started wearing bulletproof vests and increased their security, and many candidates were influenced to adopt a “tough on crime” platform.
The first election was held on August 20, 2023. Luisa González, running with the support of the Citizen Revolution Movement, won first place with 33% of the overall vote; however, since the second-place finisher, Daniel Noboa, won 24% of the vote, González did not earn enough votes to win the election per Ecuadorian law, so the election went to a runoff.
Noboa’s second-place finish was not expected. Noboa, the son of a wealthy banana tycoon, had received poll results of 2.5%-6.4%. Nevertheless, after a strong performance in a debate, he gained popularity and catapulted himself into the running. Noboa’s previous political experience includes serving in the National Assembly and serving as chair of the Economic Development Commission since 2021, just two years before winning the presidency. He is categorized as middle/right, and has proposed the creation of prison ships to house dangerous criminals away from the mainland, as well as economic policies such as investing in cheaper electricity.
The opposing candidate, Luisa González, is known as a protegé of former president Rafael Correa. Correa was a highly popular politician who served several presidential terms before facing a corruption scandal; he now resides in Belgium. Both González and Correa generally favor socialist economic policies but are more socially conservative, such as when González voted against the right to an abortion. Before running for president, González has been involved with the Ecuadorian government since 2007, serving various positions such as Secretary of Public Administration and Vice Minister of Tourism.
The runoff election on October 15, 2023, solidified Noboa as the winner of the candidacy with 51.83% of the vote, while González received 48.17%. Noboa only has eighteen months in office– the normal term is four years, but this election will only serve to fulfill the remainder of Lasso’s presidential term. Noboa, the youngest-ever president of Ecuador, does not have a majority of supporters in the National Assembly, which will make bills difficult to pass. With the violence rocking the country, one can only hope that Noboa will prove to be a charismatic leader that can lead his country into a more stable future.