Description: Centre – right sitting President Daniel Noboa won the snap elections in Ecuador on 13 Apr, achieving a dominant win over his leftist opponent Luisa Gonzalez of over 10 points and 1 million votes. Noboa has been the country’s acting President since 2023 and has been battling the growing waves of violence by armed gangs fueled by the drug trade in the region. His opponent Luisa Gonzales denounced the results of the elections citing fraud allegations and corruption since there were several incidents when voters took pictures of their election choices. Noboa would be sworn in for a four – year term in office and is expected to deliver on his preelection promises of countering gang violence and stabilizing the country’s economy in turbulent global and regional period.
Impact: Noboa’s win even though largely expected comes with heavy pressure from Ecuador’s current socio – economic state of affairs. His lobbying attempts within the Republican Party could potentially result in a comprehensive partnership between Ecuador and the US as Noboa also aimed at changing the constitution to allow foreign military bases on Ecuadorian territory to counter the gang violence. The country’s gang problem requires swift and concrete measures as the issue is further fueled by the largest drug routes and trade in the world within the South American continent. The reelected President would be faced with an uphill battle on the domestic plan, as he also faces threats from regional crises spreading through the country as the current migrant crisis created by the massive US deportations, the ongoing armed conflict in Colombia and the escalating tensions in the Panama canal.