Ecuadorian vote this Sunday to choose president Between the president Daniel Noboa and the “Correísta” Luisa Gonzálezin a ballot that is foreseen and advances under a climate of tension due to drug trafficking violence.
In the capital bordered by volcanoes already 2,850 meters of altitude, stabred from people approached the electoral schools guarded by police and military.
“In this choice (…) we free ourselves or sink”Ellen Betancourt, a 73 -year -old retiree, tells AFP.
Several pollsters foresee An end -to -side end after the tight first round in which Noboa became less than a percentage point.
Fear and tension overshadow the elections in the country of 18 million inhabitants, where every hour they kill a person.
The war between posters caused the magnicide of a presidentialtaking prisons by criminal gangs and the armed assault on a television channel while their journalists broadcast live. All in an indebted and suffocated economy for the cost of the fight against narco.
Campaign and poll
In the streets there are many posters with false information from the candidates, smiling faces of González and gigantic dolls of Noboa with a fist in high.
According to communication, At the beginning of April the intention to vote for Noboa registered 50.3% compared to 49.7% of González.
“It’s complicated, you don’t know who to believe. I am so far thinking about who to vote, is very close,” says Jair Esmeraldas, a 24 -year -old student.
About 13.7 million inhabitants exercise mandatory vote until 17 premises (The 19 of Argentina).
37, Noboa is one of the youngest presidents in the world and aspires to stay in power until 2029. Ten years older, González is committed to being the first elected president of the country.
Whoever wins the country will dawn divided.
Noboa denounced irregularities in the scrutiny of the first turn, although international observers discarded it.
On Saturday González accused the government of “desperate actions” To manipulate the voting acts.
“We must firmly reject the narrative of fraud, the accusations without proof not only damage this institution, but also undermine democracy itself,” Diana Atamaint, president of the National Electoral Council, said in the opening ceremony.
On the eve of the ballot The Government declared 60 days of the state of exception and ordered nocturnal curbing in the regions most beaten by violence.
“If the difference is very small, (the government) is born with a certain problem. It has almost one half of the country against it and that weighs, it is more difficult to govern,” explains political scientist Simón Pachano.
Very active in social networks, Noboa exploits his youthful imageof tattooed, Atlético and amateur musician.
With bulletproof vest and at the head of spectacular military operations, he kneaded support as a hard -hand politician against the narco.
“This Sunday is going to be the reminder that this country could leave the hole (…) Ecuador already has president, he already has his fighter“Noboa said Thursday against Miles in Guayaquil (Southwest).
He was born in the United States, studied in foreign universities, is heir to a banana magnate and applies a neoliberal economy.
Although very popular, Human Rights Organizations denounce that behind your security plan there are abuse. The murder of four minors in Guayaquil lodged 16 military and shook the government.
It is attributed to having decreased the homicide rate of the record of 47 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 38 in 2024. Despite this, it is the highest in Latin America, according to Insight Crime.
Noboa is one of the largest allies in the United States in the region, asked President Donald Trump for military aid and does not rule out installing foreign military bases.
González is an athlete, People’s woman, pulse made, single mother and tattoos lover.
It is also a dolphin of former socialist ruler Rafael Correa (2007-2017), A polarizing figure.
“It’s eight years in which Ecuador has been (…) Going back. Not even as we left it, he went back everything and sowed us hate,” he said.
Promises security with respect to human rights and a more supportive state When poverty is around 28%.
González looks for revenge in the second ballot against Noboawhich came by surprise to the presidency in 2023.
The president will complete the period of Guillermo Lasso, who dissolved Congress and called early elections to avoid a corruption trial.
Noboa, distanced from the leftist governments, ordered a police incursion in the Mexico Embassy in Quito to capture the former Correísto President Jorge Glas, convicted of corruption. The countries broke diplomatic relations.