Ecuador opposition candidate, doubling down on fraud claims, loses coalition backing
QUITO (Reuters) – Ecuador’s leftist presidential challenger Luisa Gonzalez has said she will formally challenge the result of Sunday’s election, claiming widespread fraud, although she has lost the support of a key ally party in disputing her defeat.
Election authorities and outside observers have said incumbent President Daniel Noboa secured a full term after sweeping the run-off vote that was held after a tight first round in February.
Noboa currently leads the official vote tally, which is 99.82% complete, by more than 1 million votes.
Gonzalez has alleged since Sunday that there was “grotesque” fraud and said late on Wednesday she would contest the results with the elections authority, without saying when. Results must be challenged within two days after the vote count closes.
In a video posted to X, Gonzalez said thousands of ballots with irregularities had been identified and should be annulled.
“All of these findings, which are very serious, will be presented to authorities,” Gonzalez said, adding that officials were “unfortunately, under the thumb of those in power.”
The elections body did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this. It said earlier this week it would receive any complaints if they were presented, as required by law.
Noboa said in an interview with CNN earlier this week that his win was so large that it was “not up for discussion.”
Observer missions from the Organization of American States and the European Union, as well as the U.S., have all said that Noboa handily won the vote. EU observers called the election transparent and well-organized, and strongly rejected claims of fraud.
In recent days, Gonzalez’s opposition coalition has fallen apart over her fraud claims, with members of her own Citizens’ Revolution (RC) party recognizing Noboa’s win.
On Wednesday her largest ally party, the RETO Movement, congratulated Noboa, leaving few backers of Gonzalez, who is a protege of former socialist President Rafael Correa.
Her defeat and subsequent claims of fraud seem “to have left Correismo (Gonzalez’s coalition) in complete disarray,” analysts at investment group BancTrust said on Thursday.
They added this would improve Noboa’s chances of forming a majority bloc in the National Assembly.
The president’s National Democratic Action Party holds 66 seats out of the assembly’s 151. The government has said it is negotiating with smaller parties to garner their support.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Frances Kerry)
