Noboa wins Ecuador election, rival demands recount

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa was declared the official winner of the presidential election on Monday, with his opponent, leftist Luisa Gonzalez, demanding a recount despite a gap of over one million votes.

Noboa received 55.65% of the vote, while Gonzalez trailed with 44.35%. The election result was seen as a decisive victory for Noboa, who had led the race by more than 1 million votes. Despite Gonzalez's call for a recount, early signs indicated that support within her own party for a recount was fracturing, with key figures acknowledging Noboa's victory.

Gonzalez labeled the results as "grotesque" and accused the election of being fraudulent, but she did not immediately call for protests or provide specifics on the recount request. By Monday morning, only 1.25% of ballots remained to be counted, with minimal irregularities reported.

Noboa, who narrowly won the first round of voting in February, received recognition from prominent opposition figures, including Aquiles Alvarez, the mayor of Guayaquil, who said, “If the people elected him, we must respect it. Whether we like it or not, the people voted democratically.”

The outcome was also welcomed by key members of the opposition, such as Leonardo Orlando, the prefect of Manabi province, who congratulated Noboa on social media. This response was seen as a shift from earlier accusations of election fraud.

Noboa's victory saw an immediate positive reaction in financial markets, with Ecuador's international bonds rising by 12 to 15 cents on Monday. The president's platform, which focused on security measures, economic handouts, and support for flood victims, resonated with voters in coastal provinces, which had suffered significantly from violence.

Noboa, who has been in office for over 16 months, has pledged to continue his focus on military security, job creation, drug and gun seizures, and attracting private investment to the oil sector. He has also cited improvements in security, such as a 15% reduction in violent deaths in the previous year, and forecasted 4% economic growth for 2025.

The president’s victory is seen as an opportunity for national reconciliation, with Noboa's government pledging to bridge divides within the National Assembly, where his National Democratic Action Party holds one fewer seat than the opposition Citizens' Revolution party.

Noboa's term officially begins in May, and he will need to deliver on promises of security and economic reform to maintain public support. The government has also imposed a 60-day state of emergency in Quito and other regions to curb unrest following the election.

The Organization of American States (OAS) affirmed that the election process was consistent with international standards, with Secretary General Luis Almagro praising the conduct of the vote.