Ecuadorian President Noboa Questions Electoral Results
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has raised concerns about the integrity of the recent presidential election, suggesting that the initial results indicate “irregularities,” Al Jazeera reports.
In an interview with Ecuador’s Radio Centro, Noboa expressed skepticism regarding the reported outcomes but did not provide any evidence to support his claims.
Noboa noted that the counting process is still ongoing and mentioned discrepancies in certain provinces, where the numbers “did not add up.” However, independent election observers have swiftly countered these allegations, asserting that there were no discrepancies in the voting tally. The Organization of American States (OAS), which observed the election, confirmed that its data aligned with the official results, taking into account a margin of error.
The first round of voting concluded with the two main candidates, Noboa and Gonzalez, nearly tied, each receiving approximately 44 percent of the votes, necessitating a runoff. Noboa and Gonzalez have a contentious history, having contested against each other since 2023 when then-President Guillermo Lasso triggered a constitutional process known as “muerte cruzada” or “crossed death,” leading to the dissolution of the National Assembly and the end of Lasso’s presidency. This situation prompted a snap election to fill the remainder of Lasso’s term, which spans 18 months.
Noboa, who is the son of a wealthy banana industry baron, was previously a first-term assembly member before the assembly’s dissolution. He entered the crowded race with a newly formed center-right coalition, initially seen as a dark horse against Gonzalez, a protégé of former President Rafael Correa. Correa, a polarizing figure in Ecuadorian politics, is currently living in exile in Belgium after being sentenced to eight years in prison on corruption charges.
The 2023 election saw Noboa and Gonzalez face off in a runoff, which Noboa won with 52 percent of the vote compared to Gonzalez’s 48 percent. The rivalry between the two has persisted, setting the stage for their rematch in the upcoming 2025 general elections. Both candidates will advance to a second round of voting scheduled for April 13, where Noboa aims to secure his first full four-year term.
