Scion of a banana magnate: 35-year-old Noboa wins the elections in Ecuador

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Daniel Noboa has won the second election in Ecuador and becomes the youngest president in the history of the South American country. This was confirmed on Sunday evening (local time) by the head of the CNE’s electoral authority, Diana Atamaint. After about 91 percent of the votes had been counted, the 35-year-old entrepreneur achieved more than 52 percent. Noboa’s opponent, Luisa González, congratulated him on his victory. According to Atamaint, voter turnout in the elections was approximately 82 percent.

Noboa is considered a centre-right politician. He is the son of banana magnate Álvaro Noboa, who ran for president five times. If he wins, González would have become Ecuador’s first female president. She won the first round of elections with 33.6 percent of the votes. González belongs to the camp of ex-president Rafael Correa (2007-2017), who was convicted of corruption and lives in exile in Belgium.

Will only be in office for a year and a half

However, Noboa will only hold the office for about 18 months, starting in mid-December – until the end of the term intended for current President Guillermo Lasso. The conservative parliament dissolved in May after two years in office, when it launched impeachment proceedings against him over embezzlement charges. According to the constitution, early elections were necessary.

Eleven days before the first round of elections in August, presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who promised to fight corruption, was shot dead after a campaign rally in the capital Quito. Seven men arrested as suspects in the case were found dead in prisons a few days ago.

Violence in Ecuador has increased dramatically in recent years. Gangs that experts say are linked to powerful Mexican cartels are fighting for control of cocaine smuggling routes. (SDA)

Source: Blick