Ecuador’s president wins re-election as opponent demands recount

An unexpected victory for Daniel Noboa has prompted allegations of ‘grotesque electoral fraud’ from his leftist rival Luisa Gonzalez

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Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa addresses the media on Sunday after the electoral council said he had won the presidential election. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:25am, 14 Apr 2025Updated: 1:34pm, 14 Apr 2025

Ecuador’s national electoral council on Sunday declared President Daniel Noboa the winner of the country’s presidential race, after he held a steady and unexpectedly wide 12-point lead over leftist Luisa Gonzalez throughout the count.

Gonzalez told chanting supporters she did not accept the results and would demand a recount, calling it “the worst and most grotesque electoral fraud in the history of Ecuador”.

With 92 per cent of ballot boxes counted, Noboa had 55.8 per cent of votes, compared to Gonzalez’s 44.1 per cent, a difference of more than 1 million votes.

The victory secures the 37-year-old business heir, who has pledged to continue efforts to fight drug gangs and boost the struggling economy, a full four-year term. He was elected in 2023 only to serve out the remainder of his predecessor’s mandate.

The results came as a surprise to many after the February first round, where Noboa finished just 16,746 votes ahead of Gonzalez.

Noboa thanked supporters from the beach town of Olon and said there was no doubt about his win. “This victory has been historic, a victory of more than 10 points, a victory of more than 1 million votes, where there is no doubt about who is the winner,” Noboa said.