Election in the Midst of a Security Crisis: Ecuador Heads to the Polls
Ecuador is heading to the polls in the midst of a security crisis. With 13 million registered voters, they will choose a new president, vice president, and legislators from among 16 candidates in the first round. In January, the country saw 700 murders, leading to harsh criticism of the Noboa government.
In the South American country of Ecuador, the public will go to the polls tomorrow in the midst of a “security crisis” to elect the president who will serve from 2025 to 2029. Around 13 million registered voters will cast their votes not only to determine the new president from 16 candidates in the first round but also to select the vice president and 151 members of the National Assembly. According to the electoral system, for a candidate to be elected president in the first round, they must either obtain more than 50% of valid votes or achieve a minimum of 40% of the vote and lead the nearest rival by 10 points.
If these conditions are not met, the top two candidates with the highest votes will compete again in a second round. Rising violence incidents and protests due to the economic crisis form the top priorities for voters. Issues like unemployment, inflation, and social inequality are expected to play a significant role in determining voter preferences.
Current President Daniel Noboa, who surprisingly won the presidential election held in October 2023, has been combating violence incidents caused by gangs, protests due to economic crises, states of emergency declarations, and electricity cuts lasting up to 14 hours during his tenure.
700 MURDERS COMMITTED IN A MONTH
The kidnapping and murder of four children by soldiers in December 2024, and the occurrence of 700 murders in the country in January alone, led to severe criticism of the Noboa government. The discovery of a 9-month-old baby found abandoned on a desolate road on February 4 in the districts of Atahualpa and Ancon in the province of Santa Elena in Ecuador, whose mother was killed in an armed attack, shook the country’s agenda. Social media users targeted the Noboa government sharply by sharing photos of the baby and the deceased mother.
