OAN’s Stephanie Stahl
1:46 PM – Monday, October 16, 2023
Daniel Noboa, the winner of Ecuador’s presidential election and an inheritor of a substantial banana fortune, has pledged to restore the nation, which is grappling with rising crime rates and a failing economy.
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Noboa, 35, is the country’s youngest president, with a firm stance on curbing violent crime, fostering youth employment, and attracting foreign investment.
In a message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Noboa declared, “Today, we have made history. Ecuadorian families chose the new Ecuador, they chose a country with security and employment.”
In the last three years, voters have grown increasingly fearful of the surge in drug-related violence.
Incidents of murder, abductions, theft, and various criminal activities have become a distressing aspect of daily life. The election campaign was also largely overshadowed by the government’s failure to address the security crisis.
The crisis became evident in August when presidential candidate and anti-corruption advocate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated in broad daylight.
Adding to the violence, seven individuals who were suspects in Villavicencio’s murder were killed in prison. Subsequently, more politicians and political figures have fallen victim to killings or abductions. Car bombings have rocked various cities, including the capital, Quito, and riots have broken out in prisons.
Noboa’s approaches to address this critical matter have spanned a wide spectrum.
During the campaign, he suggested converting ships into offshore prisons for the violent offenders. At another point in the campaign, he also pledged to give the police force more gear.
Noboa has emphasized that his goal is “to return peace to the country, provide education for the youth, to be able to provide employment to the many people who are looking for it.”
However, his shortened term could make it difficult for him to address the country’s core issues.
Noboa will reportedly be sworn in on November 25th, and will hold this role for 17 months. He will be completing the term of outgoing president, Guillermo Lasso, who dissolved Congress in May amid an impeachment trial and called for early presidential and legislative elections.
The young leader claims that he will immediately “rebuild” the country which has been seriously affected by violence, corruption, and hatred overall.
Noboa secured his win by a margin of approximately five percentage points over his rival, a leftist attorney named Luisa González.
González, who was handpicked by former President Rafael Correa, gracefully conceded her defeat at the polls and pledged her support to the incoming president.
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