The Ecuadorians will be on the ballot today in a leaked election between incumbent President Daniel Novoa and left-wing challenger Luisa Gonzalez. Novoa is considered a pro-Trump conservative, while Gonzalez is considered an ideological ally of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Novoa refuses to recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legal president after the 2024 election, and is also working on a fight against criminal gangs with all the resources available to restore peace and security in Ecuador.
Gonzalez is expected to follow in the footsteps of her leader, former President Rafael Correa, and explore stronger ties with Brazilian President Louise Inacio Lula da Silval's Latin American left-wing government, Colombia's Gustavo Petro and Chile's Gabriel Borik.
“Security was his main mission as president of Ecuador. He devotes a lot of time, effort and resources to deal with the security situation,” Joseph Hamia, executive director of the Center for Secure Freedom and Society and a senior fellow at the American First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital.
Exclusively viewing Trump's repatriation flight on C-17 military plane to Ecuador
Running for reelection, Ecuadorian President Daniel Novoa created waves on February 9, 2025 after accompanying his running buddy Maria Jose Pinto to vote in the presidential election in Quito, Ecuador. (AP Photo/Carlos noriega)
“But there have been only minor improvements to the security situation, but that's gotten worse with other issues,” Humire added.
Gonzalez operates on a platform that calls for an increase in the role of the military in the fight against gang violence, but also denies the excessive use of human rights and the excessive use of abuse.
She appears to have a softer perspective on the issue of crime. So, she hasn't stated her willingness to pursue drug cartels, but she probably will negotiate with them,” Matthias Valdes Duffer, who visited a fellow at the Centre for International Studies in Argentina, told Fox News Digital.
Valdez Duffao said the negotiation policy is similar to that of former President Correa's administration, focusing on a government-wide approach to reducing crime, which seeks to integrate criminal gangs into civil society.
“The reality is that negotiating with criminal gangs may give the government space for short-term maneuvering, but gangs will become stronger and recruit government officials, ultimately leading the country to the brink of becoming paralyzed,” warned Valdezduffao.
Luisa Gonzalez, presidential candidate for the Civil Revolution Movement, speaks out on February 9, 2025 after the presidential election polls were shut down in Quito, Ecuador. (AP Photo/Carlos noriega)
Violence and anxiety remain at the very top of voters' minds. Ecuador has the highest murder rate in Latin America, recording 6,986 murders recorded in 2024, making it the second most violent year in Ecuadorian history. Around 95,000 people fled the country in 2024 as many communities became the focus of the grass war among rival gangs of territory.
President Novoa declared an internal military conflict in 2024, ordering the military to conduct military operations and neutralize organized criminal groups across various borders. Anti-crime initiatives have increased the presence of military forces in prisons and communities across the country.
Rubio wins key victory on the Blitz and Trump Immigration Agenda through Latin America
Eric Prince, the founder of Blackwater, will be walking with police officers in Guayaquil, Ecuador on April 5, 2025 during the Apollo 13 anti-crime operation. (Agencia Press South/Getty Images)
Novore also called on the international community to provide military aid and proposed that the US military could work with Ecuador to combat violent gangs.
Despite the president's tough position on crime, January 2025 was from Ecuador. The most violent month In recent history, 781 people have died. Noboa partnered with Erik Prince, founder of private security company Blackwater, to form a strategic alliance in March to strengthen Ecuador's ability to combat narcoterrorism.
Ecuadorian National Police presents individuals who were detained during police operations after a gang clash that caused multiple casualties in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on March 7, 2025. (Distributed materials via Ecuador's Ministry of Interior/Reuters)
Insight Crime, a nonprofit focused on organized crime and security in the Americas, reports that Ecuador is one of the region's “most important drug trafficking hubs” and will ship cocaine from Peru and Colombia to Central America, Mexico and Europe. Many of these drug lords work through local agents and other criminal groups.
According to the Justice Department, it is considered one of the most powerful drug smugglers in the world, working together with national and international drug smugglers, including the Sinaloan cartels, within the Ecuadorian society as well as within the prison system, and is responsible for a large amount of fentanyl in the United States.
President Novoa and Gonzalez each received about 44% of the vote in the first round of the election. Gonzalez is a leader of the civic revolution and is considered to be the heir to former president Correa. She also wants to be Ecuador's first female president. If she won, Ecuador could see a return to President Correa's left-wing economic policy.
The banner, which features the image of Ecuador's president and presidential candidate (above) and left-wing presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez, is depicted on April 11, 2025 on the streets of Guayaquil, Ecuador. (Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images)
Exclusively viewing Trump's repatriation flight on C-17 military plane to Ecuador
Anyone who wins the second round must contest the equally divided parliamentary division between the parties, and create laws that make the country's endemic violence and economic issues even more challenging.
Saul Medina, former Tonggrawa governor, told Fox News Digital that after the election cycle, a comprehensive and determined strategy must be enacted to combat gang violence.
The man lied to the ground and was taken into custody outside TC TV after producers told police they were part of a group that broke into the set during a live broadcast in Guayaquil, Ecuador. (AP/CESARMUNOZ)
Click here to get the Fox News app
According to Medina, two of the most important issues that need to be addressed are implementing better surveillance of the police and justice system to strengthen the system and eradicate corruption and prison reform.
“The prisons have to stop being a gang operational centre,” Medina added.
Valdez Duffer, Hamia and other experts from Latin America agreed that Novoa had invaded President Trump and himself. They are ideologically similar, and if Novoa wins, he could put him in a better position to deal with the country's endemic violence.
