TRANSCRIPT
Daniel Noboa, an inexperienced politician and an heir to a fortune built on the banana trade, has won Ecuador’s presidential runoff election held amid unprecedented violence that even claimed the life of candidate Fernando Villavicencio Valencia who was assassinated.
This is President-elect Noboa, the son of Ecuador's richest man, Alvaro Noboa.
“I want to thank all the people who have been part of a new, young political, improbable project, a political project whose goal was to bring back smiles and peace to the country. To provide education to the youth, provide jobs to the people who are looking for (jobs) today. To bring peace to the families who cannot step into the street today.”
With about 96 per cent of the votes counted, electoral officials say Mr Noboa had 52.2 per cent of the votes, compared to 47.8 per cent for Luisa González, a leftist lawyer and ally of exiled former President Rafael Correa.
Ms González conceded defeat during a speech before supporters Sunday night and pledged her support for the new President-elect, but warned him against privatising key economic and social sectors.
“To the candidate and now, President-elect, Daniel Noboa, our deep congratulations because this is democracy. ... Count on our votes in the Assembly for the legal reforms, security, healthcare, education, for whatever you need as long as you don’t privatise our resources or to make healthcare, employment and education precarious.”
Ecuador has been struggling with a recession and high inflation, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty, making it difficult for people to afford basic necessities.
The nation has also become a major transit hub for drug traffickers, which has led to a surge in violence, with the country now having one of the highest homicide rates in South America.
In August, the Ecuadorian national police reported 3,568 violent deaths in the first six months of 2023.
And in the 30-day period between July and August, three political leaders were assassinated.
Ecuador also suffers from political instability having had a number of presidents in recent years.
And it has also been plagued by corruption scandals that led to general distrust of the government by the people. Mr Noboa is hopeful that he will be able to turn the tide.
“Today we close our campaign chapter. Tomorrow we start work for this new Ecuador, we start working to rebuild a country seriously battered by violence, by corruption and by hate. From tomorrow, hope will start working. From tomorrow Daniel Noboa starts work as your new president. Thank you.”
But he doesn't have much time.
His term will run only 18 months, through May of 2025, which is what remains of the tenure of President Guillermo Lasso.
Mr Lasso cut his term short when he dissolved the country’s National Assembly in May as lawmakers carried out impeachment proceedings against him over alleged improprieties in a contract by a state-owned company.
Mr Noboa is seen by many Ecuadorians as an opportunity for a fresh start.
Otto Salazar is a resident of Quito. He has faith that Ecuador will now improve under President Noboa.
"We have to ask God more than anything else for things to go well, because we have gone through many candidates and it has not happened, hopefully this is the one the country needs, and now that we are going from bad to worse, more than anything else because of the insecurity, the whole situation and may God enlighten the candidate and now president."
Nancy Palma, a resident of Olon, is also hopeful.
"We hope that the president (Noboa) fulfills his campaign promises, that he truly delivers, that it is not only demagogy, but that the dreams of so many people who have trusted him truly crystallise, that is what we want, we all make one Ecuador, our yellow, blue and red flag shelters us all, so it is time to leave political flags aside and truly work for that Ecuador that we love so much."
But Quito resident, Angel Acosta, has completely lost faith in the government.
“Politicians, Mr. Noboa, may have good intentions. But who surrounds them? A corrupt system and a rotten structure. While this exists, all will get worse.”
