Ecuador: Social-Christian Candidate Questions Electoral Authorities

Social Christian presidential candidate Henry Kronfle (R), Feb. 9, 2025. X/ @radio_sucre700

February 9, 2025 Hour: 1:36 pm

Henry Kronfle criticizes the National Electoral Council for favoring President Noboa.

On Sunday, Henry Kronfle, the presidential candidate for the Social Christian Party (PSC), questioned the actions of the National Electoral Council (CNE), accusing the institution of allowing the current president Daniel Noboa to campaign for his reelection without leaving office.

“This time, we do not trust the CNE at all. After what we have seen, they have been permissive, and there may be a conflict of interest between the CNE president and her relatives who are serving in government positions,” said Kronfle, referring to Diana Atamaint.

Kronfle, who resigned as President of the National Assembly to run for president, criticized electoral authorities for failing to issue clear statements or act on their own initiative, as required by the Democracy Code, when Noboa avoided requesting leave. He also pointed out that CNE officials remained silent regarding the use of public resources during Noboa’s electoral campaign.

“The entire process is broken. The playing field has been uneven, even more so when some pollsters have sought to polarize the election,” the Social Christian candidate remarked.

‼️Del Rincon: Invitó a debatir a Daniel Noboa con Luisa González en CNN. Noboa nunca aceptó‼️

El periodista internacional, Fernando del Rincón, cuestionó la actuación del CNE (Diana Atamaint) por no permitir confrontar las propuestas de González y Noboa.

"Se va a quedar… pic.twitter.com/Ujd7odYQdN
— Daniel Granja (@DanielGranjaEc) February 9, 2025

The text reads, “The international journalist, Fernando del Rincon invited Daniel Noboa to debate with Luisa Gonzalez on CNN. Noboa never accepted!! Del Rincon questioned the actions of the CNE (Diana Atamaint) for not allowing the confrontation of the proposals of Gonzalez and Noboa. ‘He is going to remain careful and quiet. He won’t have to contrast with a second force because Noboa’s silence is characteristic,’ said Del Rincon, referring to Noboa’s ‘respect’ for democracy.”

The Democracy Code establishes that officials running for immediate re-election must take a leave of absence from their position. It also states that the president must be replaced by the vice president. However, Noboa did not take leave during the days he openly campaigned. Nor did he allow Vice President Veronica Abad to assume the presidency.

Instead, through several decrees, Noboa appointed the Secretary of Public Administration, Cynthia Gellibert, as “acting vice president.” These decrees were later declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, which affirmed that only Abad is authorized to replace the president.

On Sunday, Ivan Saquicela, the presidential candidate of the Democracy, Yes! movement, lamented that legal norms had been violated during the 2025 elections, in which 13.7 million citizens are expected to vote for president, vice president, 151 legislators, and five representatives to the Andean Parliament.