International Observer Denounces Irregularities in Ecuador’s Presidential Run Off
Voting juries begin the counting of votes at the close of the election day on last Sunday, in Quito. The polling stations for the second round of presidential elections in Ecuador. Photo: EFE/Gianna Benalcazar
April 20, 2025 Hour: 1:09 pm
The recent presidential elections in Ecuador, in which Daniel Noboa fraudulently won, are being challenged by “widespread irregularities” that compromise the legitimacy of the democratic process, according to a Progressive International election observer.
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“What I witnessed during my week in Ecuador left me with no doubt, these elections were neither free nor fair,” stated Lee Brown, election observer, in a report titled “Ecuador’s Trumpian Turn.”
The results presented as official gave Noboa 56% of the votes compared to 44% for Luisa González, candidate of the progressive Citizen Revolution. However, these numbers are widely questioned for presenting notable statistical inconsistencies.
Brown points to the unlikelihood that González’s percentage of votes would remain the same as in the first round while Noboa experienced a significant increase, contradicting pre-election polls that suggested a more close contest and an advantage for González.
Faced with this, González has refused to recognize the results and has requested a full count and an independent audit, a request that has been denied by the electoral authorities.
In addition, Brown denounced the Ecuadorian government’s decree of a state of emergency on the eve of the elections day, suspending fundamental rights such as freedom of assembly.
Progressive International election observer noted the “chilling scene, armed soldiers with balaclavas came on stage during the televised updates of the National Electoral Council, which could only be interpreted as an act of public intimidation.”
Noting that, in line with the comments of the Organization of American States (OAS), it expressed concern in its preliminary report about the unequal conditions of the process, specifically citing the misuse of public funds and state resources for electoral purposes.
“The election was also marred by major abuses of public resources for electoral purposes. In the weeks before the vote, for example, the government distributed hundreds of millions of dollars in direct payments to citizens in what appears to be vote-buying on a massive scale,” states Brown.
Noboa’s disputed election victory also generated international controversy, with the Mexican president calling it “highly questionable” and the Colombian president requesting an audit.
Although the OAS and the European Union formally acknowledged the results, both expressed reservations about the electoral process, especially with regard to the independence and neutrality of the National Electoral Council, challenged by political parties and civil organizations.
Autor: ACJ
Fuente: teleSURtv.net //Morning Star