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Protests in Ecuador over blackouts, criminal violence and economic crisis
Demonstrations against the government of Daniel Noboa took place on Friday in several Ecuadorian cities in rejection of prolonged blackouts, insecurity, criminal violence and the ongoing economic crisis, which protesters attribute to the current administration.
New State of Exception
The president has declared a new 60-days state of exception in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Orellana, Santa Elena, the Quito Distrito Metropolitanan District, and the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez because of “conmoción interna” and “conflicto armado interno”.
The state of exception includes a curfew from 10 pm until 5 am in the cantons of Camilo Ponce Enríquez, Durán, Balao,
Babahoyo, Buena Fé, Quevedo, Pueblo Viejo, Vinces, Valencia, Ventanas, Mocache, Urdaneta, Baba, Palenque, Quinsaloma, Montalvo, La Joya De Los Sachas, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Loreto, and the parish of Tenguel in the province of Guayas.
See Presidential Decree 2024/410 for the whole text: this link.
Ecuador sets presidential election for February 9, 2025
The National Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Thursday that Ecuador's presidential and legislative elections will take place on February 9, 2025. Incumbent president Daniel Noboa, who was elected in 2023 to complete Guillermo Lasso's term, will be running for reelection.
Lasso called for a snap election in 2023 to avoid potential impeachment for alleged embezzlement. Noboa's current term, lasting only 18 months, was the result of that early vote.
The CNE confirmed that the election would include the selection of a president, vice president, five Andean Parliament representatives, and 151 members of the National Assembly, an increase from 137 due to population growth.
With more than 13.7 million registered voters, including over 456,000 abroad, Ecuador will see 17 presidential candidates in the race, including Leonidas Iza, leader of the country’s largest Indigenous organization, and Henry Kronfle, the current president of the National Assembly.
Noboa, a centrist backed by right-wing parties and known for his neoliberal policies, surprised many in 2023 by winning over 52% of the vote against socialist candidate Luisa Gonzalez, who is also running again. Noboa, heir to a banana empire, was born in the United States.