A voter deposits her ballot in a polling station in Ecuador. File photo.
The Citizen Revolution (RC) party condemned the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Ecuador for obstructing the party’s new legal recourse challenging the results of the April 13 presidential election in which incumbent Daniel Noboa was proclaimed winner, with 55.63% of the valid votes.
The legal representative of the RC-Total Renovation Movement (RETO) alliance, Francisco Estarellas, filed the appeal with 27,834 proofs of electoral irregularities on April 30. However, he complained that the CNE registered the reception of the documentation the following day, the date on which the review of the files was concluded.
“The CNE is acting as a judge favoring Daniel Noboa,” Estarellas decried. “Today, it has further undermined its already non-existent legitimacy by hindering our appeal to challenge the results of the second round of the 2025 presidential elections.”
He added that this is not the first time that the CNE has hindered or rejected a challenge against the presidential elections. “There are numerous irregularities in the voting records and in the whole process. The failures of the system harmed [RC] candidate Luisa González” who obtained 44.37% of the votes, according to official data.
He stressed that the will not remain idle in the face of these atrocities but will challenge the process at all the established instances. “We will also go to the Electoral Contentions Tribunal (TCE) of Ecuador and if necessary to international platforms so that all the irregularities in the process are corrected,” said Estarellas.
Fraud in Ecuador: CNE Refuses to Recount Votes Despite Mounting Irregularities Allegations
Irregularities
For her part, the presidential candidate for RC, Luisa González, presented 13,917 voting records with irregularities, which add to other claims of fraud. “The April 13 elections were marked with flaws in the system, vote buying, and improper use of public resources. We have proof of all that,” she said.
She further pointed out that another irregularity is the “suspicious difference” in the number of voters between the first and second rounds.
“This is grounds to annul the elections. There cannot be such variation in the number of voters,” González added.
Although the international observers of the Organization of American States (OAS) ruled out electoral fraud, they did highlight in their reports the irregularities in the process, including candidate Daniel Noboa not handing over presidential duties to his vice president during the electoral campaign period, the use of state resources in campaign, and the declaration of a state of emergency during the election.
Noboa’s inauguration for the 2025-2029 term is scheduled for May 24.
(RedRadioVE) by Milena Bravo
Tranlstaion: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/SA
