Ecuador has closed its borders on Saturday (8), the eve of the presidential elections, and will restrict the entry of foreigners until Monday in areas that border with Colombia and Peru. The objective is to ensure the safety of the electoral process, according to the presidential provisions. Tomorrow, 13.73 million Ecuadorians are expected to go to the polls to elect the country’s president for the next four years.
Since early morning, soldiers were observed at the Huaquillas International Bridge at the South Border with Peru. Security has also been reinforced at other points in the east border, according to local media reports. At the north border with Colombia, a similar situation occurs on the Rumichaca Bridge.
Andrea Samaniego, operator of the International Border Transport Cooperative, told the Associated Press That one of the two units that make daily trips to Peru, with a capacity of 50 passengers, can leave Ecuador to the neighboring country this morning. “Everyone can leave the country, but only Ecuadorians can enter Ecuador,” he said. Local media has confirmed that Ecuadorian pedestrians with documents in order can enter the country.
President Daniel Noboa, of the right-wing national democratic Action Movement (DNA), disputes the election with candidate Luisa González of the Left Party Movement Citizen Revolution, led by former President Rafael Correa.
