Ecuadorians go to polls as a wave of violence plagues country

The Ecuadorians today go out to the polls in the elections between the current President Daniel Nobo and the left -wing challenger Luis González. Noboa is considered to be the conservative of Pro-trump, while González views as an ideological ally of the Venezuela dictator Nicolás Madura.

Noboa did not refuse to recognize Madur as the legitimate President Venezuela after his elections in 2024, and was also dedicated to the fight against criminal gangs with all the resources available to restore peace and security in Ecuador.

González is expected to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, former President Rafael Corre, and seek stronger relationships with the left -wing Government of Brazilian Latin President Luiza in Anácio Lulu da Silval, Gustavo Petro from Colombia and Chile, Gabriel Boric.

“Security was his main term as president of Ecuador. He dedicated a lot of time, effort and resources to resolve the security situation,” said Joseph Humira, Executive Director of the Center for Safe Society and Senior Associate of the US Institute for the First Policy, for Fox News Digital.

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“However, only marginal improvements have occurred in a security situation, and she is stacked with other problems,” Humira added.

González runs on a platform that calls for an increase in the role of army in the fight against gang violence, but also strongly condemns the exaggerated use of force and abuse of human rights.

“She seems to have a softer perspective on the issue of crime, which means that she did not cite her willingness to chase drug cartel, but she would most likely intend to negotiate with them,” Mathias Valdez Duffua, a guest colleague at the International Studies Center at Argentina Catholic University, for Fox News Digital.

Valdez Duffao said the negotiations policy is similar to the politics of the former President Corre The administration would focus on approaches to reducing crime throughout the Government, which would seek to integrate criminal gangs into civil society.

“The reality is that negotiations with criminal gangs can give the Government a short-term maneuvering space, but the gangs become stronger and end the coopes of government officials, which eventually leads the country to the edge to become a drugstate,” warned Valdezduffao.

Violence and insecurity remain at the top of the votes of the voter. Ecuador has the highest homicide rate in Latin America, with 6,986 recorded killings in 2024, making it the second most transparent age in Ecuador’s history. About 95,000 people escaped from Earth in 2024, as many communities became foci of lawn wars between rival gangs competing for territory.

Noboa President declared an internal armed conflict in 2024 and ordered the armed forces to perform military operations to neutralize various transnational groups of organized crime. The crime initiative recorded an increase in the army of presence in prisons and communities across the country.

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Noboa also invited the international community to provide military assistance and suggested that the US military could work with Ecuador to fight violent gangs.

Despite the president’s hard position for crime, January 2025 was Ecuador The most mockery of the month 781 people killed in recent history. In March, Noboa united himself with Erik Prince, the founder of the private security company Blackwater, and in March he created a strategic alliance to strengthen the ability of Ecuador to fight narcoterism.

Insight Crime, a non -profit organization that focuses on organized crime and security in America, reports that Ecuador is one of the “most significant drug trafficking” and delivering cocaine from Peru and Colombia to Central America, Mexico and Europe. Many of them Drug trade organization Working through local proxies and other criminal groups, they infiltrated the prison system and expanded their street gangs.

Different groups operating throughout the Ecuadorian society and within the prison system work with domestic and international drug traders, including Cartel Sinalo, one of the most powerful organizations for drug trafficking in the world and responsible for a large amount of fental in the United States, according to the Ministry of Justice.

The President of Noboa and González received about 44% of the vote in the first round of elections. González is the leader of the civic revolution and is considered the heir of former President Corre. He also demands that she become the first female President Ecuador. If he wins, Ecuador could see a return to the left -wing Economic Policy of Presidency Corre.

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Whoever wins in the second round will have to face an evenly divided national assembly divided between both sides, making legislation to solve the endemic violence and economic problems of the country.

Saúl Medina, a former Governor of Tungurguhu, told Fox News Digital that, after the election cycle, a comprehensive and decisive strategy to combat band violence must be adopted.

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Two most important questions that have to be resolved, according to Medina, strengthening institutions and executing better control over Police and judicial system use corruption and prison reform.

“Closes must stop being operating centers for gangs,” Medina added.

Valdez Duffao, Humira and other Latin America experts agreed that Noboa was inserted with President Trump. They are ideologically similar and, if Noboa wins, it could lead him to a better position to deal with endemic violence in the country.