Latest news with #Ecuadorans
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polls close in Ecuador's razor-tight presidential runoff
Polls closed in Ecuador's too-close-to-call presidential election Sunday, with incumbent Daniel Noboa hoping to fend off a charismatic leftist challenger after a campaign dominated by drug-related violence. The 37-year-old president narrowly won February's first round, but not by enough to avoid another duel against a resurgent Luisa Gonzalez, who is bidding to become Ecuador's first woman president. The campaign was dominated by anger over the lackluster economy and cartel violence that has transformed Ecuador from one of the safest countries in Latin America into the most deadly. In the volcano-ringed capital Quito, voters wrapped up against the Andean chill and flocked to the polling stations. "I think Ecuador is divided, but I think we all understand we are in a situation where we have to unite, whoever is leading the government," said 21-year-old architecture student Camila Medina. In total, about 13.7 million Ecuadorans were obliged to vote. On the eve of the ballot, Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency in the capital and several provinces, underscoring the tense state of affairs. This once-peaceful nation averaged a killing every hour at the start of the year, as cartels vied for control over cocaine routes that pass through Ecuador's ports. Noboa, the guitar-strumming son of a billionaire banana magnate, has staked his political fortunes on "iron fist" security policies designed to snuff out the gangs. He has deployed the military to the streets, captured drug capos and invited the United States to send special forces. By contrast, 47-year-old single mother Gonzalez has pitched herself as a political everywoman, born to a humble family and laser-focused on improving the lot of poor Ecuadorans. She may have a growing constituency. Rampant bloodshed has spooked investors and tourists alike, fueling economic malaise and swelling the ranks of Ecuador's poor to 28 percent of the population. - 'Born with a problem' - Ecuador faces two very different paths depending on which candidate wins. A Noboa win would likely see him double down on hardline security policies and further nurture a budding bromance with US President Donald Trump. If Gonzalez wins, it would signal a sharp shift to the left and a likely cooling of Ecuador's relations with the United States. Gonzalez is closely allied with ex-president Rafael Correa, who delighted in lobbing barbs at Washington during his decade in office. He now lives in exile in Belgium, avoiding a corruption conviction he claims is politically motivated. He remains a deeply polarizing figure in his homeland. "We are going to make history for Ecuador!" Gonzalez told supporters while voting in her hometown near the Pacific coast. "We are ready to defend democracy." In February's first round of voting less than a percentage point, or 17,000 votes, separated Noboa and Gonzalez. Both candidates on Thursday held final campaign events in Guayaquil, the country's largest city, economic capital and the epicenter of drug violence. Gonzalez made a late play for women voters, proposing low-interest loans of up to $40,000 for single mothers. During Noboa's time in power, she said, "violence, poverty and unemployment has hit us women hardest." Noboa presented himself as an outsider and the candidate of change. "The country does not deserve to be mistreated by the same old politicians," he said, targeting his rival's ties with former president Correa. Some analysts fear a tight result could spark claims of fraud and lead to a government with a weak mandate. "If the difference is very small, the government will be born with a problem: It has almost half the country against it, and that weighs heavily, making it more difficult to govern," said Simon Pachano of the social sciences institute FLACSO. bur-arb/des
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ecuador votes in razor-close presidential runoff
Ecuadorans vote Sunday in a too-close-to-call presidential election pitting the incumbent, security hawk Daniel Noboa, against a charismatic leftist challenger. The 37-year-old president narrowly won February's first round, but not by enough to avoid another duel against a resurgent Luisa Gonzalez, who is bidding to become Ecuador's first woman president. The election has been dominated by anger over cartel violence that has transformed Ecuador from one of the safest countries in Latin America to the most deadly. On the eve of the vote, Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency in the capital Quito and several provinces, underscoring the tense state of affairs. This once-peaceful Andean nation averaged a killing every hour at the start of the year, as cartels vied for control over cocaine routes that pass through Ecuador's ports. Noboa, the guitar-strumming son of a billionaire banana magnate, has staked his political fortunes on "iron fist" security policies and snuffing out the gangs. He has deployed military to the streets, captured drug capos and invited the United States to send special forces. He frequently dons a bulletproof vest to lead audacious security raids. In stark contrast, 47-year-old single mother Gonzalez has pitched herself as a political everywoman, born to a humble family and transfixed with improving the lot of poor Ecuadorans. She may have a growing constituency. Rampant bloodshed has spooked investors and tourists alike, fueling economic malaise and swelling the ranks of Ecuador's poor to 28 percent of the population. "We hope that this Sunday, at last things will get better, that they leave us to work in peace and that calm returns," 61-year cafeteria manager Marcelo Salgado told AFP. - 'Born with a problem' - Polls have the race in a statistical tie. But Ecuador faces two very different paths depending on which candidate wins. A Noboa win would likely see him double down on hardline security policies and nurturing a budding bromance with US President Donald Trump. If Gonzalez wins, it would signal a sharp shift to the left and a likely cooling of Ecuador's relations with the United States. Gonzalez is closely allied with ex-president Rafael Correa, who delighted in lobbing barbs at Washington during his decade in office. He now lives in exile in Belgium, avoiding a corruption conviction he claims is politically motivated. He remains a deeply polarizing figure in his homeland. In February's first round of voting less than a percentage point, or 17,000 votes, separated Noboa and Gonzalez. On Sunday, with more than a dozen also-ran candidates shorn from the ballot, hundreds of thousands of votes are up for grabs. Gonzalez has the backing of powerful indigenous leader Leonidas Iza, who won half a million votes in the first round. But it is unclear if his voters will remain united. About 13.7 million Ecuadorans are obliged to vote, with ballots being cast between 7 am and 5 pm (1200 and 2200 GMT). Both candidates on Thursday held final campaign events in Guayaquil, the country's largest city, economic capital and the epicenter of drug violence. Gonzalez made a late play for women voters, proposing low-interest loans of up to $40,000 for single mothers. During Noboa's time in power, she said, "violence, poverty and unemployment has hit us women hardest." Noboa presented himself as an outsider and the candidate of change. "The country does not deserve to be mistreated by the same old politicians," he said, targeting his rival's ties with former president Correa. Some analysts fear a tight result could spark claims of fraud and lead to a government with a weak mandate. "If the difference is very small, the government will be born with a problem: It has almost half the country against it, and that weighs heavily, making it more difficult to govern," said Simon Pachano of the social sciences institute FLASCO. bur-arb/acb
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ecuador imposes state of emergency before razor-close election
On the eve of a too-close-to-call presidential election, Ecuador declared a state of emergency Saturday in seven of its 24 provinces, including the capital Quito, saying it was needed to fight a dramatic rise in drug-linked violence. The measure, set to last 60 days, took effect just before Sunday's election pitting incumbent Daniel Noboa against his leftist opponent Luisa Gonzalez, and after the country began the year with its bloodiest start ever, averaging a killing every hour. The state of emergency applies to the coastal provinces of Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, Santa Elena and El Oro, the Amazonian provinces of Orellana and Sucumbios, as well as to Quito and the troubled mining town of Camilo Ponce Enriquez. It also applies to the nation's prisons. Noboa imposed the measure amid an "increase in violence, serious crime, and the intense unlawful activities of organized armed groups," according to a decree he signed. The order suspends the legal protection against unauthorized search and entry of homes and mail, as well as the freedom of assembly, and imposes a nightly curfew in the cities of Guayas, Los Rios, Orellana and Sucumbios, as well as Ponce Enriquez. Noboa, in power since November 2023, has previously decreed states of emergency to combat the rise of drug gangs, who have waged bloody turf fights over control of the illicit trade, spreading terror among ordinary Ecuadorans. As he pursued his "iron fist" policies, the country's homicide rate fell from a record 47 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023 to 38 in 2024, yet remained the highest in Latin America last year, according to the group Insight Crime. Noboa last year declared Ecuador to be in an internal armed conflict, allowing him to keep troops in the streets to combat some 20 drug gangs linked to international cartels the president brands as "terrorists." It was not immediately clear how the election-eve emergency measures would affect the voting process Sunday, or voters' decisions. But crime has been a key issue between Noboa, 37, and his 47-year-old rival Gonzalez, as close to 14 million Ecuadorans prepare to decide who will run their nation for the next four years. A Noboa victory would likely spell more "iron fist" policies, which have had mixed success. He wants to see U.S. troops deploy to Ecuador to tackle the cartels wrestling to control the flow of cocaine through Ecuadoran ports to Asia, the United States and Europe. A win by Gonzalez, who hopes to be Ecuador's first female president, would signal a sharp shift to the left and a likely cooling of Ecuador's relations with the United States and its president, Donald Trump. An American intelligence assessment of the Ecuadorian presidential election concluded that a reelection of the incumbent president would better serve U.S. national security interests over the challenger. Ecuador ranks among the 10 largest economies in Latin America and the bilateral trade between Ecuador and the United States surged to $15.2 billion in 2023. Ecuador avoided Mr. Trump's imposed tariffs rolled out by the White House last week. Saturday Sessions: Dawes performs "Still Strangers Sometimes" Saturday Sessions: Dawes performs "Time Spent in Los Angeles" Saturday Sessions: Dawes performs "Front Row Seat"
CBS News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Ecuador imposes state of emergency before razor-close election
On the eve of a too-close-to-call presidential election, Ecuador declared a state of emergency Saturday in seven of its 24 provinces, including the capital Quito, saying it was needed to fight a dramatic rise in drug-linked violence. The measure, set to last 60 days, took effect just before Sunday's election pitting incumbent Daniel Noboa against his leftist opponent Luisa Gonzalez, and after the country began the year with its bloodiest start ever, averaging a killing every hour. The state of emergency applies to the coastal provinces of Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, Santa Elena and El Oro, the Amazonian provinces of Orellana and Sucumbios, as well as to Quito and the troubled mining town of Camilo Ponce Enriquez. It also applies to the nation's prisons. Noboa imposed the measure amid an "increase in violence, serious crime , and the intense unlawful activities of organized armed groups," according to a decree he signed. The order suspends the legal protection against unauthorized search and entry of homes and mail, as well as the freedom of assembly, and imposes a nightly curfew in the cities of Guayas, Los Rios, Orellana and Sucumbios, as well as Ponce Enriquez. Noboa, in power since November 2023, has previously decreed states of emergency to combat the rise of drug gangs , who have waged bloody turf fights over control of the illicit trade, spreading terror among ordinary Ecuadorans. As he pursued his "iron fist" policies, the country's homicide rate fell from a record 47 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023 to 38 in 2024, yet remained the highest in Latin America last year, according to the group Insight Crime. Noboa last year declared Ecuador to be in an internal armed conflict, allowing him to keep troops in the streets to combat some 20 drug gangs linked to international cartels the president brands as "terrorists." It was not immediately clear how the election-eve emergency measures would affect the voting process Sunday, or voters' decisions. But crime has been a key issue between Noboa, 37, and his 47-year-old rival Gonzalez, as close to 14 million Ecuadorans prepare to decide who will run their nation for the next four years. A Noboa victory would likely spell more "iron fist" policies, which have had mixed success. He wants to see U.S. troops deploy to Ecuador to tackle the cartels wrestling to control the flow of cocaine through Ecuadoran ports to Asia, the United States and Europe. A win by Gonzalez, who hopes to be Ecuador's first female president, would signal a sharp shift to the left and a likely cooling of Ecuador's relations with the United States and its president, Donald Trump. An American intelligence assessment of the Ecuadorian presidential election concluded that a reelection of the incumbent president would better serve U.S. national security interests over the challenger. Ecuador ranks among the 10 largest economies in Latin America and the bilateral trade between Ecuador and the United States surged to $15.2 billion in 2023. Ecuador avoided Mr. Trump's imposed tariffs rolled out by the White House last week. James LaPorta contributed to this report.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ecuador presidential hopefuls make last pitch to voters
Ecuador's incumbent president and his leftist challenger have made their final pitch to voters ahead of Sunday's razor-tight election, with jobs, crime and an appeal to women voters dominating campaign-closing arguments. The too-close-to-call runoff vote features 37-year-old Daniel Noboa and 47-year-old rival Luisa Gonzalez, who is bidding to become the country's first woman president. On Friday, the campaigns entered a period of silence, a strict booze ban was in force and the government limited the number of foreigners coming into the country -- ostensibly to prevent disruptions. Close to 14 million Ecuadorans must decide who will run their violence-plagued nation for the next four years. "There is no work and insecurity is on the rise" said 29-year-old mum Adela, who did not want to give her full name. "They always make promises, but when they are elected, they never fulfil them." A Noboa win would likely spell more "iron fist" policies that have had mixed success in quelling violence turbocharged by the ultra-lucrative drug trade. Ecuador suffered one murder an hour in January and February, the bloodiest start to a year on record. Noboa wants to see US troops deploy to Ecuador to tackle a plethora of cartels wrestling to control the flow of cocaine from Colombia and Peru, through Ecuadoran ports to Asia, America and Europe. If Gonzalez wins it would signal a sharp shift to the left and a likely cooling of Ecuador's relations with the United States and its president, Donald Trump. Gonzalez is closely allied with ex-president Rafael Correa, who delighted in lobbing barbs at Washington during his decade in office. He now lives in exile in Belgium, avoiding a corruption conviction he claims is politically motivated. He remains a deeply polarizing figure in his homeland. Ecuadorans appear equally divided over which political path they now want to choose. In February's first round of voting less than a percentage point, or 17,000 votes, separated Noboa and Gonzalez. On Sunday, with more than a dozen also-ran candidates shorn from the ballot, hundreds of thousands of votes are up for grabs. - 'Violence, poverty, unemployment' - Gonzalez has won the backing of powerful indigenous leader Leonidas Iza, who won half a million votes in the first round. But it is unclear if his voters will remain united. Ecuadoran polls, which have proved less than reliable in the past, show the second round as a virtual tie. Both candidates on Thursday held final campaign events in Guayaquil, the country's largest city, economic capital and the epicenter of drug violence. Gonzalez made a late play for women voters, proposing low-interest loans of up to $40,000 for single mothers like herself. During Noboa's time in power, she said, "violence, poverty and unemployment has hit us women hardest." Despite holding the presidency and coming from one of the country's richest families, Noboa presented himself as an outsider and the candidate of change. "The country does not deserve to be mistreated by the same old politicians," he said, targeting his rival's ties with former president Correa. Some analysts fear a tight result could spark claims of fraud and lead to a government with a weak mandate. "If the difference is very small, the government will be born with a problem: It has almost half the country against it, and that weighs heavily, making it more difficult to govern," said Simon Pachano of UN-backed social sciences institute FLASCO. bur-arb/acb
