Ecuador’s presidential election will go to a second round after authorities called the first round a “technical tie.” Incumbent center-right President Daniel Noboa and leftist challenger Luisa González won roughly equal shares of the vote, forcing a second round in April.
Early opinion polls that suggested a more decisive result were beaten in a close race. Noboa’s supporters were buoyed by exit polls that suggested a landslide victory. In the capital, Quito, many gathered in support, waving flags and holding life-size cutouts of Noboa, who has been strongly focused on fighting gang violence.
Despite improved security, crime remains a major concern. Noboa’s government has deployed military intervention to quell rising violence, and his critics, including González, have pointed to a lack of progress on economic issues and a failure to resolve Ecuador’s energy crisis.
González, backed by former President Rafael Correa, has criticized Noboa’s handling of the economy and crime, and has advocated for more social spending in the country’s most troubled regions. As the race heads into the second round, both candidates will have to grapple with the country’s severe challenges of crime, unemployment, and economic stagnation.
