Ecuador Votes Amid Rising Violence and Polarized Candidates

QUITO, Ecuador — Voters in Ecuador are participating in a crucial election Sunday, choosing between conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa and leftist lawyer Luisa González. This election is marked by a surge in drug-fueled violence that has gravely impacted the South American nation.

Many voters voiced their primary concern as security. “Tranquility… is the most important thing for the country because there is a lot of insecurity,” said one voter. Another echoed the sentiment, stating, “Security is in pieces,” and expressed hopes that the next president would effectively address the violence.

The Ecuadorian government announced the deployment of approximately 45,000 troops nationwide on election day to ensure voter safety. In an effort to prevent ballot tampering, electoral authorities have also banned voters from taking photos of their ballots, with fines reaching as high as $32,000 for those who violate this rule.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. ET and will close at 6 p.m., with preliminary results expected a few hours after. This election follows Noboa’s previous victory over González in a snap election in 2023, where he secured just over 50 percent of the vote.

Noboa, 37, seeks a full four-year term to advance his contentious campaign against gangs and drug traffickers, a battle he claims has seen little progress. He has implemented numerous states of emergency, dispatched military units to confront gang activities, and initiated the construction of a new maximum-security prison after a notorious criminal leader escaped last year.

Government statistics indicate that 2025 has experienced an alarming rise in violence, with over 1,000 homicides reported. Research from InSight Crime reveals that Ecuador now holds the highest homicide rate in Latin America. To combat this escalating crime wave, Noboa has sought partnerships with private security firms, including a controversial alliance with Erik Prince, founder of the private defense contractor formerly known as Blackwater.

Furthermore, documents obtained by CNN suggest Noboa’s administration is planning a new naval base on Ecuador’s coastline and has lifted a ban on foreign military bases enacted in 2008.

González, an ally of former left-wing President Rafael Correa, is proposing an alternative approach to security, focusing on preventative measures, violence reduction, and community coexistence. Her campaign platform titled “Revive Ecuador” emphasizes increased social spending to aid the nation’s poorest citizens and promotes a vision of hope and transformation, contrasting Noboa as a figure of fear.

She also opposes foreign involvement in resolving the crime crisis and intends to reinstate the Ecuadorian Ministry of Justice, which was dissolved in 2018.

Both candidates cast their ballots on Sunday morning, with Noboa expressing confidence in a victory. “We’ll win today. Today is a very important day for Ecuador,” he remarked to the media. In contrast, González proclaimed her commitment to democracy while voting, stating, “With all the faith, the homeland… through that change, today we will change the history of Ecuador.”