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Ecuador's Second Presidential Election of 2025

Ecuador's Second Presidential Election of 2025

Yahoo10-03-2025

Next month, Ecuadorian voters will choose between incumbent conservative President Daniel Noboa and progressive challenger Luisa González to be their next president. This will be the second presidential election of 2025, following the February general election in which no candidate secured the 50 percent needed to win outright(Noboa and González both earned about 44 percent of the vote).
Noboa, Ecuador's youngest president and heir to a banana empire, took office in 2023 to complete the term of former President Guillermo Lasso, who dissolved the National Assembly that year—for the first time in Ecuador's history—to avoid an impeachment vote for his alleged role in a corruption scandal involving oil and gas contracts.
Noboa inherited a tumultuous situation—from 2018 to 2022, Ecuador's murder rate quadrupled. Just two months into office, he declared a 60-day state of emergency in seven of the country's 24 provinces. The order designated 22 criminal gangs as terrorist groups, allowed the military to patrol streets, and authorized security forces to "enter homes and intercept correspondence in the targeted provinces without prior authorization," reported Reuters. In January, Noboa issued a second 60-day crime emergency.
These policies initially led to a drop in the homicide rate, which fell by 17 percent through August 2024. However, the decline was short-lived—January was the most violent in Ecuador's history, with 731 homicides reported, according to InsightCrime, a nonprofit that tracks crime in Latin America.
Under Noboa, Ecuador's economy fell into recession, largely due to an energy crisis caused by droughts that reduced the country's supply of hydropower—its main source of electricity. As a result, blackouts lasted up to 14 hours a day, costing an estimated $12 million in lost productivity and sales for every hour without power. In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross domestic product fell by 1.5 percent year-on-year, while the poverty rate increased by 2 percent.
If reelected, Noboa plans to double down on tough-on-crime policies, including the construction of a $52 million, 800-person maximum-security prison to house the country's most dangerous drug lords, which he authorized in June 2024. His economic agenda focuses on resolving the energy crisis—though details remain vague—and reducing poverty by expanding social programs and wealth transfers, such as the "Bono de Desarrollo Humano," which provides stipends of $55 to $150 to impoverished families.
Luisa González, who ran against Noboa in the 2023 election, was handpicked by former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017). Correa was sentenced to prison in absentia in 2020 on corruption charges, according to the Associated Press.
Despite her close ties with Correa, González has stated that she would not intervene in his legal matters and has denied any intention to pardon him if elected.
González plans to address Ecuador's crime wave similarly to Noboa—through a strong military and police presence—by fully deploying security forces to the borders to regain control and targeting drug lords.
González has also campaigned on reinstating the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights, and Worship to improve rehabilitation programs. The ministry, created during the Correa administration, was responsible for coordinating the justice system, overseeing human rights within prisons, and improving rehabilitation efforts for inmates. However, it was dismantled in 2018 as part of a government initiative to reduce spending and downsize the government. After its dissolution, prison responsibilities were transferred to the National Comprehensive Service to Prisoners and Juvenile Offenders. Since then, there have been several human rights accusations of the treatment of prisoners.
Her economic plans include transitioning Ecuador to a post-oil economy—despite oil meeting 82 percent of the country's energy needs—and increasing social spending, signaling a return to Correa-era policies. Specifically, she plans to expand social spending in violent areas, reduce the sales tax from 15 percent to 12 percent, and provide tax credits for women-owned businesses.
Despite their differing economic strategies, both candidates advocate expanding state power in the name of public safety. Regardless of the outcome, voters may suffer if these policies are implemented.
The post Ecuador's Second Presidential Election of 2025 appeared first on Reason.com.

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Six detained for abuse of patients in Bulgaria nursing home
Six detained for abuse of patients in Bulgaria nursing home

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Six detained for abuse of patients in Bulgaria nursing home

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Trump tariffs live updates: US and China resume trade talks, White House seeking 'handshake' on rare earths
Trump tariffs live updates: US and China resume trade talks, White House seeking 'handshake' on rare earths

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Trump tariffs live updates: US and China resume trade talks, White House seeking 'handshake' on rare earths

The US and China restarted trade talks in London on Monday, aiming to ease tensions over rare earths and tech after President Trump and his China's leader Xi Jinping spoke last week. "The purpose of the meeting today is to make sure that they're serious, [and] to literally get handshakes," Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC. "I expect it to be a short meeting with a big, strong handshake and we'll see." Trump's call with Xi, which both leaders framed as positive, came after weeks of Trump publicly pushing for a direct call. US-China tensions have risen in the aftermath of the countries' trade truce reached in mid-May in Geneva, with both countries have accused the other of breaching that truce while ratcheting up pressure on other issues. The US and China are also now using their control over certain key materials to gain control in the trade war. 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Outbound shipments of rare earths in May from China rose 23% on the month to their highest in a year, despite Beijing's export curbs on some of the critical minerals prevented some overseas sales, with shortages impacting global manufacturing. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Chinese exports rose less than expected last month, held back by the biggest drop in shipments to the US in over five years, despite strong demand from other markets. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and China will restart trade talks in London on Monday after President Trump and Xi spoke last week. The two sides have accused each other of breaking a May deal in Geneva to pause tariff hikes above 100%. Trump, after agreeing with Xi to resume critical mineral flows, said he expects the talks to go "very well." 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According to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, most US firms with operations in china are not budging. The survey revealed that some US don't want to leave the country and in fact would ramp up production in China, despite the the challenges posed by tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. We know what President Trump wants in trade discussions with China. But what does China's Xi Jinping want? Bloomberg News reports Read more here. Both the US and China are using their control over key materials in a deepening trade war standoff. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that Washington is restricting ethane shipments, a gas China heavily relies on for plastics production. This follows Washingtons block on chip exports to China. 'Ethane is no longer just a byproduct of shale — it's now a geopolitical weapon,' said Julian Renton, lead analyst covering natural gas liquids at East Daley Analytics. 'China bet billions building infrastructure around US ethane, and Washington is now questioning whether that bet should continue to pay off.' But the US is not the only one weaponising their grip on vital materials. China has tightened control on rare earths, a crucial element used for technology products. However, on Thursday President Trump got a commitment from China to restore flow of rare earth magnets. These moves by the US and China marks a shift toward using strategic resources as leverage. The US is keen to strike a firm deal with China on rare earths exports as both sides resume talks in London today. Reuters reports: Read more here. Global auto companies are hoping that trade talks between the US and China on Monday could help fast track rare earth exports from China, which are desperately needed. Reuters reports: Read more here. Outbound shipments of rare earths in May from China rose 23% on the month to their highest in a year, despite Beijing's export curbs on some of the critical minerals prevented some overseas sales, with shortages impacting global manufacturing. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Chinese exports rose less than expected last month, held back by the biggest drop in shipments to the US in over five years, despite strong demand from other markets. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and China will restart trade talks in London on Monday after President Trump and Xi spoke last week. The two sides have accused each other of breaking a May deal in Geneva to pause tariff hikes above 100%. Trump, after agreeing with Xi to resume critical mineral flows, said he expects the talks to go "very well." 'We want the rare earths, the magnets that are crucial for cell phones and everything else to flow just as they did before the beginning of April, and we don't want any technical details slowing that down,' Kevin Hassett, head of the National Economic Council at the White House, said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation. 'And that's clear to them.' US-China tensions rose this year after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods, triggering retaliation from Beijing. The Geneva deal was meant to ease tariff tensions, but talks stalled as both sides blamed each other. The US criticized a drop in Chinese exports of rare earth magnets and China pushed back on US curbs targeting AI chips and student visas. In London, US officials, which include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will meet with Vice Premier He Lifeng. According to a report in Bloomberg on Monday, Lutnick's presence suggests the US may review some tech restrictions. The recent Trump-Xi call brought hope if lower tariffs, but investor confidence remains cautious. As of today, the US has only secured one new trade deal — with the UK. A startup that assembles one of its smartphones entirely in the US says it's possible for a company like Apple to do the same and not incur prohibitive costs, but it's not easy and would take several years of focused effort, Fortune reports: At least one expert in the UK believes Prime Minister Keir Starmer may have unrealistic expectations about a trade deal with President Donald Trump and the US, Bloomberg reports: Read more here President Donald Trump has come up short on striking trade deals with most nations with just one month left before his self-imposed tariff deadline, even as he took his first steps in weeks toward engaging with China. Trump secured a much-desired call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, paving the way for a new round of talks on Monday in London — yet the diplomacy was overshadowed by a blowout public fight between Trump and his billionaire onetime ally, Elon Musk. Trump's aides insisted Friday that the president was moving on and focused on his economic agenda. Still, question marks remain over the US's most consequential trade relationships, with few tangible signs of progress toward interim agreements. Read more here Bloomberg reports: Read more here. President Trump said a new round of trade talks between the US and China would start Monday, a day after he spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would lead talks for the US. "The meeting should go very well," Trump predicted. Bessent led the last round of talks in Geneva, which led to a tariff truce that sent markets soaring. That truce has come under strain in recent weeks over various trade and other thorny issues, including China's curbs on rare earth mineral exports and US chip curbs. Bet you were wondering how long we could go before mentioning Elon Musk's feud with President Trump in this blog (lots more on that here, here, and here). Yes, the remarkable back and forth included Trump threatening Musk's government contracts — and Musk seeming to agree with a call to impeach Trump, while also throwing in an "Epstein files" mention. But as Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul details, Musk is now going to war with many of the biggest pillars of Trump's agenda. There was a tariff mention as part of that. Specifically, Musk not only criticized the tariffs — he's now on record saying he thinks they will cause a recession this year. As Ben writes: Read more here. Trade talks between the US and India were set to wrap up this Friday, but now they are being extended into next week as officials on both sides aim to work out an interim deal before a July 9 deadline. Indian government sources said the discussions, which have focused on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, will continue next Monday and Tuesday. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are looking to double trade by 2030 and cement a trade pact by fall 2025. Reuters reports: Read more here. US and Chinese officials exchanged jabs at an event held by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai on Friday, as the chamber appealed for more clarity for American businesses operating in China. Reuters reports: Read more here. India's Tata Steel has warned that it might be excluded from tariff-free access to the US under the UK's trade agreement with the Trump administration. This exclusion risks putting more than $180M worth of annual exports at risk. The FT reports: Read more here. Two of the largest economies in the euro zone saw industrial production decline in the first month of President Trump's sweeping tariffs, indicating a economic slowdown after a stronger-than-expected year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Friday. Wall Street Journal: Read more here. The EU said on Friday that it is open to reducing tariffs on US fertiliser imports as a trade bargaining tool in talks with the Trump administration. However, the EU said it would not weaken its food safety standards in pursuit of a deal. EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen told Reuters: "That is definitely an option," Hansen said, of reducing US fertiliser tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. If car buyers think they will be able to beat President Trump's tariffs, they should think again. The trade war has already led to an increase in US auto prices and some of these hikes are invisible to consumers. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. According to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, most US firms with operations in china are not budging. The survey revealed that some US don't want to leave the country and in fact would ramp up production in China, despite the the challenges posed by tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. We know what President Trump wants in trade discussions with China. But what does China's Xi Jinping want? Bloomberg News reports Read more here. Both the US and China are using their control over key materials in a deepening trade war standoff. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that Washington is restricting ethane shipments, a gas China heavily relies on for plastics production. This follows Washingtons block on chip exports to China. 'Ethane is no longer just a byproduct of shale — it's now a geopolitical weapon,' said Julian Renton, lead analyst covering natural gas liquids at East Daley Analytics. 'China bet billions building infrastructure around US ethane, and Washington is now questioning whether that bet should continue to pay off.' But the US is not the only one weaponising their grip on vital materials. China has tightened control on rare earths, a crucial element used for technology products. However, on Thursday President Trump got a commitment from China to restore flow of rare earth magnets. These moves by the US and China marks a shift toward using strategic resources as leverage. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Iran to present counter-proposal to US in nuclear talks
Iran to present counter-proposal to US in nuclear talks

Yahoo

time43 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Iran to present counter-proposal to US in nuclear talks

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran will soon hand a counter-proposal for a nuclear deal to the United States via Oman, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, in response to a U.S. offer that Tehran deems "unacceptable". The spokesperson also called on the international community to force nuclear disarmament upon Israel, Iran's longstanding foe which Tehran says is trying to thwart the nuclear negotiations. "The U.S. proposal is not acceptable to us. It was not the result of previous rounds of negotiations. We will present our own proposal to the other side via Oman after it is finalised. This proposal is reasonable, logical, and balanced," Baghaei said. "We must ensure before the lifting of sanctions that Iran will effectively benefit economically and that its banking and trade relations with other countries will return to normal." Reuters previously reported that Tehran was drafting a negative response to the U.S. proposal which was presented in late May. An Iranian diplomat said the U.S. offer failed to resolve differences over uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, the shipment abroad of Iran's entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium and reliable steps to lift U.S. sanctions. Baghaei said there was not yet any detail on the timing of a sixth round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the U.S. proposal as against Iran's interests, pledging to continue enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers view as a potential pathway to building nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes. During his first term in 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump ditched a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. Iran responded by escalating enrichment far beyond that pact's limits. Iran says the West has turned a blind eye to Israel's nuclear programme even while pushing against Iran's. Israel neither confirms nor denies that it has nuclear weapons. Baghaei said sensitive Israeli documents, which Iran has previously promised to unveil, would demonstrate "that parties constantly questioning Iran's peaceful nuclear programme actively work to strengthen Israel's military nuclear programme". The negotiating parties should not allow Israel to disrupt diplomatic processes, he added.

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