The Strongman of Ecuador

Daniel Noboa's bravado, aggressive policies and alignment with Trumpian politics has positioned him as a formidable figure in Latin America. But his fight to retain the presidency isn't over

-  JESUS MESA

WHEN ECUADORIAN PRESIDENT DANIEL Noboa attended Donald Trump's inauguration in January, the symbolism was not lost on many inside his country. With Ecuador set to hold national elections soon after, it was a calculated move a final push from a politician whose rapid ascent is disrupting not only his nation, but could also reverberate across the region.

Noboa's blend of populist bravado, aggressive security policies and alignment with brash Trumpian politics has positioned him, at 37, as a formidable figure in Latin America's shifting landscape. A political scion from a banana dynasty, he capitalized on the fear and frustration of Ecuadorians to win office in a snap election in 2023, and is now the favorite to win again as the incumbent. Newsweek reached out to the Ecuadorian presidency and Ecuador's U.S. embassy for comment.

Ecuador voted on February 9, which resulted in a "technical tie." Noboa, of National Democratic Action, or ADN, and Luisa González, of Citizen Revolution, both received approximately 44 percent of the ballots so now face a runoff on April 13-a repeat of the 2023 race.

Once a peaceful nation, Ecuador has been grappling with unprecedented violence over the past five years. Wedged between the world's two largest cocaine producers, Colombia and Peru, its strategic location has turned the country into a growing hub for drug trafficking. The homicide rate has surged amid gang wars over control of drug routes, driving a sharp rise in Ecuadorian migration to the U.S.

This trend is reflected in the massive increase in migrants recorded at the U.S.-Mexico border, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection reporting a record 124,000 encounters with Ecuadorian nationals in 2024-up from 24,900 in 2022.