Daniel Novore, the young Ecuadorian president, was known for his aggressive legal and order policy and social media acquisition, but failed to win a majority vote for Sunday's reelection, and he was re-election against Luisa Gonzalez. Forced leaked elections. The leftists who lost his final presidential election.
About 96% of the votes counted early Monday morning, so Novore received 44.37% of the votes. Gonzalez was the closest of the 15 opponents, 43.86%.
Pre-election polls suggested that Novoa, 37, would win a majority, leaving the second round of votes unneeded. However, the race turns out to be tight, apparently reflecting ambiguity about Novoa's harsh criminal tactics in Ecuador.
Approximately an hour after the vote ended at 5pm, Novoa's supporters gathered outside the hotel in the capital Quito, where they were expected to talk, and rang the corner of their car. waving the flag and chanting “1 round.” But by 10pm they had spread out.
At 10pm, hundreds of people were dancing, pouring shots of liquor and chanting, “Long Live Luisa!” near Gonzalez's campaign headquarters.
In a speech to cheering supporters, Gonzalez said her campaign captured “the feeling of forgotten people.”
“We don't want a state of war, we want peace to be built,” she said.
Gonzalez, 47, belongs to a party led by former President Rafael Correa, who is a powerful and polarizing figure. While many voters have expressed nostalgia about the low crime rate and strong economy that characterize his presidency, others remember his authoritarian style and his belief in corruption.
Novoa is a Harvard Kennedy School graduate from one of Ecuador's wealthiest families, partly built on the basis of banana exports. He has been in office for more than a year, when he was elected in 2023 to complete the term of office for the president facing bluff each.
At the crisis, around 18 million people are dealing with widespread violence and high unemployment, and this is what will be taken away by the troubled people, a Northern Ecuadorian immigrant to the US It has driven tens of thousands of people. The country is also facing a long-term energy crisis with blackouts.
Novore critics say re-elected in the second round of the vote on April 13 could have troubling consequences for democratic norms, rule of law and civil liberties. Masu.
After prison riots broke out last year and gunmen seized television stations, Novore declared a state of internal conflict, allowing the troops to patrol the streets and prisons. He also sent police to the Mexican embassy in Quito and arrested an Ecuadorian politician who was charged with corruption who had been seeking evacuation there, and was deemed a brave violation of diplomatic protocols.
Novore's supporters say he is a bold leader willing to break rules and confront corrupt powers. In April, the Ecuadorians approved his hardline approach to security by voting to strengthen their law-enhancing military presence and giving the president more power to combat gang violence. did.
“I don't think the president needs to compromise on anyone,” said Juan Arias, 32, who owns a furniture and interior cleaning company, on Sunday, a high school polling station in Chimbakar, a middle-class Quito district. Outside, there he said there. He said he voted for Novoa. “For me, that's what gives me security as a citizen.”
However, Jonathan Andino, a childhood friend of Mr. Arias, who took him to the polling station, is often defined by his relationship with Mr. Correa, as he chose to represent his party. He said he voted for Gonzalez.
Architect Andino, 32, said life was better when Correa was president. “There was more work. There was financial stability. There was health, there was education,” he said. “The problem is that the Ecuadorians have no memory of them. They forget things.”
Five years ago, Novore was politically unknown. He was elected to the Ecuadorian Parliament in 2021, where he served for a term.
His predecessor as President Guillermo Lasso called for an early election in 2023. In the first round of votes, Novore rose from the bottom of the vote and finished second after a strong debate performance. He then defeated Gonzalez in a leak.
His victory was partly driven by a strong desire for strong change in voters amid a surge in gang violence. The 2023 presidential election itself was bloody, with one candidate assassinated.
For years, Correa's leftist movement defined Ecuadorian politics, with some analysts saying Sunday's results showed its lasting popularity.
Lisa Grace Targo, Latin American director of Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, said Novore was inadequate in areas with some of the worst security issues and was affected by violence. It suggests that voters may be unhappy with his policies.
Also, in the legislative elections held on Sunday, Novoa's party, formed a year ago, led Correa's party with 81% of the votes counted.
Lady Zuniga, former Justice Minister of Correa's party, who was running for the National Assembly, opposed the notion that Gonzalez represented the past.
“The problem beyond going back to the past is having a team with experience and technical knowledge, as administration is not easy,” Zuniga said.
Despite Novoa's strict measures, violence is spreading in Ecuador. Over the past five years, drug trafficking has expanded, attracting international criminal groups and unleashing extraordinary levels of violence in once secular countries. Police data show that last month saw more violent deaths than any other month in the last three years.
Many Ecuadorians condemned Novoa's harsh tactics for the death of four children in the western state of Guayas. The lawsuit sparked rage and protest against the military, and the judge ordered 16 military personnel to be detained.
Security and the economy are not the only major issues in the country. As Ecuador is largely dependent on hydroelectric energy, the drought last year caused 14 hours of power outages for about three months each day. The crisis has shut down businesses and put the entire industry at risk.
Critics say Novoa's campaign is defined by image more than concrete suggestions to address Ecuadorian challenges. Novore has cleverly adopted social media to project an image of youth and vitality that has captivated many people.
Novoa often vaguely talks about throwing “old Ecuador” into the garbage. Gonzalez emphasizes dealing with security crises by strengthening institutions such as justice, health and education systems.
Jose Maria Leon Cabrera contributed the report.
