Petro Congratulates Daniel Noboa, New President of Ecuador

Colombian President Gustavo Petro congratulated Daniel Noboa on his victory in the second round of the presidential elections in Ecuador this Sunday. The Colombian president has also invited the newly elected president of the neighboring country to get involved in the fight against drug trafficking and the violence caused by this practice on both sides of the border.

During the Ecuadorian electoral campaign, there was a tragic incident under investigation: the assassination of the candidate Fernando Villavicencio, allegedly by Colombian hitmen working for drug traffickers.

“I congratulate Daniel Noboa as the president chosen by the Ecuadorian people. Hopefully, we can work together to stop the violence that drug trafficking has spread in Ecuador,” stated the Colombian president on his social media account, along with a photo of their meeting.

Ecuador’s Youngest President

At 35 years old, Daniel Noboa is the heir to a vast banana business empire currently led by his father, the Ecuadorian billionaire and politician Alvaro Noboa, who unsuccessfully ran for the presidency of the country five times.

The newly elected president defeated the candidate of former President Rafael Correa, Luisa Gonzalez, who won the first round. In this second round, Noboa secured over 52% of the votes, compared to the 47.7% for the correísta candidate, González.

President-elect Noboa has thus become the youngest president in Ecuador’s history. The businessman and former assembly member will take office to complete the 2021-2025 term, succeeding the current president, conservative Guillermo Lasso, who left office earlier due to the application of the “cross-death” mechanism.

Lasso used this constitutional method, allowing him to dissolve the legislature and call for elections when he was sure of an imminent removal by the majority in the Ecuadorian Assembly.

Colombian Opposition Welcomes Noboa’s Victory

The conservative Colombian opposition is relieved by Noboa’s victory, which avoids the prospect of a left-leaning government had Luisa Gonzalez, who emerged victorious in the initial vote in August, been the winner. For Ecuador, Noboa represents a continuation of the conservative policies of outgoing President Guillermo Lasso.

Senator Maria Fernanda Cabal, a prominent voice of the Colombian right and a member of the Centro Democrático party, expressed on her social media, “Ecuador has chosen #FreedomandOrder. @DanielNoboaOk’s triumph is another victory for those of us who believe in a world without socialism, a Latin America without violence. Congratulations to the Ecuadorians and their new president!”

Former Colombian President Ivan Duque, a member of the same political party as Senator Cabal, also shared a similar sentiment. “Congratulations to Daniel Noboa, who was elected as the new president of Ecuador. Today, democracy triumphed in the sister country, and the populism of the Puebla Forum was defeated,” Duque wrote, referring to the defeat of the candidate supported by former Ecuadorian left-wing President Rafael Correa.

Duque, however, joined Gustavo Petro in calling on Noboa to join the fight against drug trafficking. “Daniel faces the challenge of fighting against drug trafficking and crime, advancing a deep agenda of economic growth, social inclusion, and the fight against correísta corruption,” tweeted the former conservative president of Colombia.