President Daniel Noboa suggests that there was fraud, but the EU and the OAS deny it

With the almost finished official scrutiny, The president exceeds his rival Luisa González, Delfina of former president Rafael Correa (2007-2017), refugee in Brussels and fugitive from justice after a conviction for corruption. Both will have a rematch in the ballot on April 13.

The unexpected and tight results were a blow to Noboa, when he had said he would win in a single shift. “There have been many irregularities and we kept counting. We continued to review in certain provinces that there were things that did not square or even square with the quick count of the OAS, which put us with a larger figure, the work is not yet finished, ”said the 37 -year -old president in an interview with Radio Centro de Guayaquil. Noboa said to have “evidence”, which he did not show, of a possible fraud.

Noboa explained the reasons why he did not celebrate or made statements at the end of Sunday’s election day, when the results already yielded a technical draw with González, of the Citizen Revolution Party. “There are dozens and dozens of cases in which they threatened people because they vote for the citizen revolution. We have the evidence (…) Even voters received threats from armed groups to vote for the candidate who represents them, ”the president insisted.

Shortly after, at a press conference in Quito, the observers of the European Union said Not having “not a single objective element indicate that there has been any type of fraud. ” On its side, the OAS indicated in a statement that its “quick count” coincides with the results of the electoral authority and “has not identified or received indications of irregularities.”

There is polarization and “I deeply regret that a certain fraud narrative in these elections has been joined,” said Gabriel Mato, head of the EU mission.

Ecuador departed in two directions to the ballot, pushed by the worst crisis in half a century, according to experts. The fierce drug trafficking war and the economic debacle caused “an extreme level” of polarizationSaid the political scientist Santiago Cahuasquí. Although most surveys already foresaw a second round, such a closed draw was unexpected. None of the candidates exceed 50% of the votes or have 40% and a difference of 10 points over the closest container to achieve a first round victory.

During the Noboa and González campaign their suspicions slipped on a possible fraud in the presidential elections.

In power since 2023, The president aspires to re -election With a firm hand project against gangs and drug traffickers in a country bleeding for violence.

His rival González seeks to return power to the left to face insecurity and crisis with a social approach. He also bets on becoming the first elected woman in the presidency of Ecuador. All analysts point to their good performance last Sunday, which awakens the unknown about whether their performance allows a return of Correism to power. The ballot will reissue the atypical 2023 elections, after former President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the Congress and called the polls before concluding his mandate.