Ecuadorians elect new president

By James Blears

With almost all the votes counted, Daniel Noboa, the candidate of the National Democratic Action Party gained just over fifty two percent, ahead of Luisa Gonzalez of the Citizen Revolution Movement, who got almost forty eight percent. She's called him with congratulations, graciously conceding defeat.  Daniel's father Alvaro is the richest man in Ecuador, having built a banana producing and export conglomerate. He ran unsuccessfully five times for the Presidency. His son who's still only thirty five, has proved more politically appealing. 

Daniel Noboa will be sworn in as President on November 25th. However, his term will only last seventeen months until November 2025. The National Assembly tried to impeach current President Guillermo Lasso, who dissolved it in May, and that set this election process in motion. The campaign turned deadly on August 9th, when anti corruption Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated, leaving a campaign rally in the Capital Quito. Six Colombians arrested and accused of the crime, were assassinated in a prison and another man accused of the same crime, was murdered in another prison.

Ecuador has seen a steep and sharp rise in violent crime, particularly linked to the trafficking of cocaine, by international cartels. President Elect Noboa is promising to crack down on this, and to launch a job creation program.