QUITO, Ecuador: Ecuadorans will vote for a new president in the midst of a violent drug war and a wave of political assassinations, which has disrupted the campaign of a popular candidate.
Ecuador is preparing for a crucial presidential election while grappling with a surge in drug-related violence and a series of political assassinations that have shocked the nation.
The remaining candidates, lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, 45, and banana empire heir Daniel Noboa, 35, are campaigning in bulletproof vests due to the prevailing climate of fear in what was once a peaceful country. Both candidates have pledged to address the escalating violence, which has become the primary concern of Ecuadorans, according to recent polls.
Crime and insecurity have risen significantly, with the murder rate quadrupling in the four years leading up to 2022. In response, an extensive security presence of 54,000 police officers has been deployed to ensure the safety of the election.
Ecuador, traditionally a haven situated between major cocaine-exporting nations Colombia and Peru, has experienced a surge in violence as rival gangs with connections to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control. The conflict has led to the gruesome massacre of at least 460 inmates in prisons since February 2021, with mass riots resulting in beheadings and immolations.
This violence has also spilled into the streets, with gangs displaying headless bodies from city bridges and detonating car bombs outside police stations as a show of force. The result has been a staggering toll of more than 3,600 Ecuadorans murdered this year, including nearly a dozen politicians.
In August, the violence claimed the life of anti-graft and anti-cartel journalist and presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was gunned down in a submachine gun attack after delivering a campaign speech while polling in second place. Subsequently, a state of emergency was declared, and both Noboa and Gonzalez campaigned under heavy security, with reporters following them required to wear protective gear.
Whoever emerges victorious on Sunday will only serve a 16-month term, completing the term of incumbent Guillermo Lasso, who called a snap election to avoid possible impeachment for alleged embezzlement. These new leaders will be eligible to run again in the 2025-2029 presidential term and the subsequent one.
Both Gonzalez and Noboa, relative unknowns in Ecuador’s political landscape, have a chance to make history: Gonzalez as Ecuador’s first woman president and Noboa as its youngest president.
Gonzalez, the handpicked candidate of former socialist president Rafael Correa, who governed from 2007 to 2017, has vowed to address corruption, a major concern in Ecuador. Her rival, Noboa, is the son of one of Ecuador’s wealthiest individuals and has previously run for president five times without success.
Closing their campaigns, both candidates promised a brighter future. Gonzalez pledged increased social spending, especially in education and healthcare, while Noboa promised progress for all.
In the first round of voting in August, Gonzalez secured the most votes with 34 percent, followed by Noboa with 23 percent. Opinion polls suggest a closely contested race with a high percentage of undecided voters.
Regardless of the election’s outcome, neither candidate will enjoy an absolute majority in parliament, and with just a 16-month term, implementing significant reforms will be challenging.
Voting is mandatory for 13.4 million eligible voters in a country of 16.9 million. Polling stations will be open for ten hours from 7 am (1200 GMT).
