Overview

• Preliminary results show Daniel Noboa with 44.4% of the vote and Luisa González with 44.1%, falling short of the thresholds needed for an outright victory.
• The runoff will revisit the 2023 contest between the two candidates, with Noboa campaigning on his iron-fist approach to crime and González advocating for social justice and economic reforms.
• Noboa’s presidency has been marked by military crackdowns on gang violence, which have drawn both praise for reducing homicides and criticism for alleged human rights abuses.
• González, a protégé of former President Rafael Correa, has pledged to address crime while increasing social spending and reforming Ecuador’s justice system.
• The election highlights Ecuador’s ongoing struggles with cartel-driven violence, a faltering economy, and public dissatisfaction with energy crises and rising inequality.