
Ecuador votes for its next president amid deadly crime surge
CNN
Voters must pick between conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa and leftist lawyer Luisa González to address the drug-fueled violence that has consumed the once-peaceful country.
Voters in Ecuador are casting their ballots in a presidential runoff election between conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa and leftist lawyer Luisa González – a race overshadowed by drug-fueled violence that has consumed the once-peaceful South American country. Voters who spoke to CNN on Sunday overwhelmingly said that security was their main concern. “Tranquility … is the most important thing for the country because there is a lot of insecurity,” one voter said. “Security is in pieces,” another voter said, adding that she hopes whoever wins will keep their promise to tackle violence. Polls opened at 8 a.m. ET and are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. The first results are expected to be announced a few hours after that. This is the latest electoral contest between the two candidates. In the 2023 snap election, Noboa defeated González with just over 50 percent of the vote.