Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa Wins Re-election by Wide Margin

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has been re-elected following a second-round run-off vote. The country’s National Electoral Council announced late on Sunday that the 37-year-old secured 55.8 percent of the vote, with more than 90 percent of ballots counted. The result gives Mr Noboa a twelve-point lead over his left-wing challenger, Luisa Gonzalez.

Ms Gonzalez, however, has rejected the outcome, alleging electoral fraud and calling for a full recount. Addressing supporters, she described the result as “the worst and most grotesque electoral fraud in the history of Ecuador.” Her defeat came despite polling predictions that suggested a close contest with the incumbent.

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Mr Noboa, who first came to power in snap elections in 2023, now holds a full four-year mandate. He has pledged to continue his controversial crackdown on cartel-related violence, which has surged since 2021. Drug trafficking, fuelled by cocaine from Colombia and Peru, has driven a sharp rise in killings and instability across the country.

The violence has had a deep economic impact, deterring investors and tourists, and pushing nearly 28 percent of Ecuadorians into poverty. In response, Mr Noboa has deployed the military to the streets, detained cartel leaders, and sought security cooperation with the United States.