Daniel Noboa, Ecuador’s incumbent president, won a decisive victory in the April 13, 2025, presidential runoff, securing 56% of the vote against leftist rival Luisa González’s 44%, according to the National Electoral Council’s count of over 90% of ballots.
The result, announced in Quito, handed Noboa, 37, a full term to expand his hardline anti-crime policies, which include deploying soldiers and forging a $200 million security pact with the U.S. Speaking in Olón, Noboa hailed the “historic mandate,” promising to curb violence that saw 781 murders in January 2025 alone, Ecuador’s deadliest month on record. His National Democratic Action party also gained 66 seats in the 151-seat National Assembly, per February 9 legislative polls, bolstering his agenda.
González, 47, backed by ex-President Rafael Correa’s Citizen Revolution party, conceded defeat but alleged “grotesque electoral fraud,” demanding a recount without providing evidence. Her claims echo Noboa’s own unproven February 2025 accusations of first-round irregularities, though OAS and EU observers deemed both rounds free of systemic fraud, noting 83% voter turnout among 13.8 million eligible citizens.
González’s 67 Assembly seats and Correa’s polarizing legacy, marked by a 2020 corruption conviction, likely swayed voters wary of his influence, per analysts like Ruth Hidalgo, who cited “anti-Correa sentiment.” Ecuador’s 2021-2025 crime surge, tied to cocaine trafficking, dominated the campaign, with Noboa’s bulletproof vest at polling stations underscoring the stakes. As González’s team prepares a legal challenge, Noboa faces pressure to deliver on safety for Ecuador’s 17 million, with 35% of citizens naming crime their top concern in 2025 polls.