The ballot boxes were officially opened in the Ecuador presidential election on Sunday morning (9). Nearly 14 million people should choose the country’s next president, while security forces were mobilized to ensure that the day of voting occurs peacefully amid a security crisis.
Earlier this week, Ecuador President Daniel Noboa ordered the militarization of ports, reinforcing the presence of security forces within the southern and north of the country, and (8) until Monday (10), claiming “ attempts to destabilize armed groups ”.
Drug -related violence has shook Ecuador in recent years and is once again the biggest problem for many voters in this Sunday’s vote (9).
In all, but the election is polarized between the right-wing president, Daniel Noboa of the National Democratic Action Movement (DNA), and candidate Luisa González of the Left Party Movement Citizen Revolution, led by former President Rafael Correa.
Ecuador President Daniel Noboa is betting that his promises to boost initiatives to combat crime initiated under his first administration and deal with energy cuts will guarantee him a complete term in the vote.
Two recent opinion polls pointed to a possible victory in the first round for Noboa. He is heir to his father’s vast business fortune, which includes participation in banana plantations, packaging and shipments.
Other research suggests that the vote will go to a second round in April, where he would probably get a victory against leftist Luisa González. She says her social assistance spending plans and imposing more severe penalties for criminals will work better than the policies of the number of holder, but she faces a difficult battle to win this Sunday’s presidential election.
How is the vote in Ecuador
The vote for president in Ecuador takes place from 7am to 5pm, local time (9am to 7pm Brasília time). Voting is mandatory for all Ecuadorians aged 18 to 65, under penalty of $ 47 (R $ 271).
After identifying themselves, voters receive four banknotes, one of them the eight plates of candidates for president and vice president. To vote, it is necessary to mark with a pen what is the preferably plate. After that, deposit the paper ballot in the ballot box.
The other banknotes are to choose national legislators, provincial legislators and members of the Andean Parliament, Andin Community Control body, a block formed by Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
In such cases, the voter has to decide between closed lists of legislators from different parties.
If no candidate gets 50% of the votes or 40% with a difference of 10 percentage points compared to second place, the presidential dispute goes to the second round, which will be held on April 13.
*With information from Reuters and Luciana Taddeo, from CNN
