Now Reading: Ecuador Electoral Council Rejects Fraud Allegations in Presidential Election
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Ecuador Electoral Council Rejects Fraud Allegations in Presidential Election
Ecuador’s National Electoral Council (CNE) has dismissed claims of fraud in the April 13, 2025, presidential runoff, affirming the integrity of the vote that saw conservative candidate Diego Morales defeat leftist Luisa Vargas.
In a televised address on April 14, CNE President Diana Atamaint declared the process “transparent and verifiable,” citing audits by international observers from the Organization of American States (OAS), who reported a 98% compliance rate with electoral protocols. Vargas’ campaign alleged irregularities, including vote-count discrepancies in Guayas province, but the CNE said evidence showed only minor clerical errors affecting 0.02% of ballots.
Morales, a former banker, secured 52.3% of the vote to Vargas’ 47.7%, with a 78% turnout among 13.8 million eligible voters, per official tallies. Vargas, backed by the Citizens’ Revolution movement, vowed to challenge results in court, claiming “systematic manipulation” cost her 150,000 votes.
The OAS mission, however, found no statistical anomalies, noting Ecuador’s biometric voter system prevented fraud. Atamaint urged calm as protests erupted in Quito, with 2,000 Vargas supporters rallying peacefully. Ecuador’s 2023 election faced similar disputes, delaying certification by weeks. Morales is set to assume office on May 24, but analysts warn legal battles could deepen polarization, with 60% of Ecuadoreans expressing distrust in institutions, per Latinobarómetro polls.
