Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa leads the first round of voting with 44.3% against leftist rival Luisa Gonzalez at 43.9%. With the close results, both candidates will advance to a runoff election in April.
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has declared his narrow lead in the first round of voting as a victory, despite facing a surprisingly strong challenge from his leftist opponent, Luisa Gonzalez. From the 93 percent of ballots counted in the recent election, Noboa secured 44.3 percent of the votes compared to Gonzalez’s 43.9 percent. Given this close result, the two candidates will move forward to compete in a runoff scheduled for April.
The upcoming runoff between President Noboa and Luisa Gonzalez highlights the deep political divisions in Ecuador, particularly in the context of drug-related violence that has plagued the country. Noboa’s focused campaign against drug cartels resonated with a significant portion of the electorate, but Gonzalez’s formidable challenge indicates a competitive political landscape ahead.
Original Source: www.kten.com