Ecuadorians are going to vote on a highly contested presidential election, similar to the one in 2023, where the incumbent conservative candidate Daniel Noboa is running against leftist candidate Luisa Gonzalez. Both candidates have pledged action against the country’s deteriorating crime crisis, one of the major reasons for voting.
Ecuador has experienced an increase in violence associated with drug trafficking from Colombia and Peru. Many citizens have personally been victimized by crime, so security is a very important issue in the election. Voting is mandatory, and long lines formed outside polling stations, including in Guayaquil, where residents braved the rain to cast their votes.
Marta Barres, 35, voter, said that Noboa’s leadership has not changed much. Crime and extortion are still rife. She believes Gonzalez can restore security and improve the economy. Keila Torres, a student, is undecided. She believes no one can stop crime because of the high level of corruption in government. Torres has survived several robbery attempts. She also said that gang members have intimidated her and other residents to vote for Gonzalez.
Noboa, 37, a businessman and heir to a banana empire, has positioned himself as a tough-on-crime leader. Under his tenure, Ecuador’s homicide rate dropped from 46.18 to 38.76 per 100,000 people, though it remains significantly higher than in 2019.
Gonzalez, 47, is a former lawmaker and protege of ex-president Rafael Correa, who was sentenced in absentia for corruption. She served in Correa’s administration and was relatively unknown until his party nominated her in 2023.
With 13.7 million eligible voters, a candidate must secure over 50% or at least 40% with a 10-point lead to win outright. If no clear winner emerges, a runoff will be held on April 13. The outcome will determine Ecuador’s approach to its deepening security and economic crises.