Supporters of Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa gather outside National Electoral Council (CNE) building, in Quito, Ecuador, on April 13, 2025.
Ecuador’s incumbent president Daniel Noboa, the conservative, tough-on-crime scion of a banana dynasty, resoundingly won his reelection runoff on Sunday, defeating left-wing candidate Luisa González by more than 10 points.
Against the backdrop of an epidemic of gang-violence, the vote was a referendum on Noboa’s no-holds-barred war on drugs, which has been marked by states of emergency, mass arrests, and allegations of human rights violations.
González, who is close to the country’s exiled left-wing populist former president Rafael Correa, ran on a progressive platform that focused on poverty alleviation and reducing inequality.
Noboa won the initial round in October 2024 with a margin of less than 1% of the vote. He claims his military-driven “Plan Fénix” has cracked down on crime, and while the homicide ratedropped from 46.18 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 38.76 per 100,000 people in 2024, it still exceeds the 6.85 homicides per 100,000 people recorded in 2019.
Gonzalez on Sunday evening called the result a “grotesque electoral fraud” and vowed to challenge the results.
If you’re dividing an increasingly polarized Latin America into ideological buckets: you can leave Ecuador firmly in the right-hand column. Noboa, who styles himself as a political outsider, comes from the right and is an open admirer of US President Donald Trump, whose help he has sought in his crusade against gang violence.
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at a press conference on the latest round of economic talks with the United States, in Taipei, Taiwan, on February 3, 2026.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly plans to focus on Taiwan during his planned summit with US President Donald Trump next month.
US President Donald Trump reportedly told his aides to prepare for a longer blockade of Iranian-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. But it’s not clear how long such a blockade could last – for either country.
Chris, an Army veteran, started his Walmart journey over 25 years ago as an hourly associate. Today, he manages a Distribution Center and serves as a mentor, helping others navigate their own paths to success. At Walmart, associates have the opportunity to take advantage of the pathways, perks, and pay that come with the job — with or without a college degree. In fact, more than 75% of Walmart management started as hourly associates. Learn more about how over 130,000 associates were promoted into roles of greater responsibility and higher pay in FY25.