A woman votes in the Ecuadorian consultation and referendum in Madrid, Spain, April 21, 2024. Photo: Luis Soto.
Several Latin American countries will go to the polls in 2025 to elect various officials, from presidents to municipal councilors, and there will be an unprecedented election in the region.
Ecuador
The electoral calendar will start in Ecuador on February 9. On that day, Ecuadorians will elect the president, vice president, and 151 members of the National Assembly for the 2025-2029 term. If a second round of the presidential election is necessary, it will be held on April 13, 2025.
There are 16 presidential and vice-presidential candidates running in the elections. Among the candidates is the current president, Daniel Noboa, who is aiming for re-election, and his vice-presidential running mate is María José Pinto.
In Ecuador, indefinite re-election is prohibited since the consultative referendum carried out in 2018, during Lenín Moreno’s term, established that elected authorities may be re-elected only once, consecutively or not, for the same position. However, for the 2025 elections, Noboa can participate, and if he wins, it will be counted as his first term. Hence, he could seek re-election in 2029, given his current mandate is the product of exceptional elections held in 2023 after former President Guillermo Lasso applied the “cross death” mechanism midway through his term in 2021, leading to the dissolution of the parliament as well as his government.
Another candidate on the list is Luisa González, who participated in the extraordinary elections of 2023 and came in second place. She will once again be the standard bearer of the leftist movement Revolución Ciudadana (RC), led by former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017), which will run in alliance with the Renovación Total (Reto) party. Her running mate is Diego Borja, former minister of Economic Policy (2008-2010).
The remaining 14 presidential tickets are formed by:
- Henry Kronfle and Dallyana Passailaigue, for the Social Christian Party (PSC);
- Leonidas Iza and Katiuska Molina Soledispa, for the indigenist movement Pachakutik;
- Wilson Enrique Gómez and Inés Díaz Chiran, for the United Society Plus Action Party (Suma);
- Francesco Tabacchi and Blanca Sacancela, for the Creating Opportunities (CREO) movement, led by former President Lasso;
- Jimmy Jairala and Lucía Vallecilla, for Democratic Center;
- Andrea González and Galo Moncayo, for the Patriotic Society Party (PSP);
- Jorge Escala and Pacha Terán, for Popular Unity;
- Pedro Granja and Verónica Silva, for the Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE);
- Iván Saquicela and María Luisa Coello, for Democracia Sí;
- Henry Cucalón and Carla Larrea, for Construye;
- Juan Cueva Vivanco and Cristina Reyes, for the Acción Movilizadora Independiente Generando Oportunidades (AMIGO) movement;
- Carlos Rabascall and María Alejandra Rivas, for Democratic Left;
- Víctor Araus and Stephanie Cristina Carrera, for the People, Equality and Democracy (PID) movement;
- Luis Felipe Tilleria and Karla Rosero, for Avanza.
For the first time, Ecuadorians will elect 151 legislators to the National Assembly, as until now, the body was made up of 137 members. This increase of 14 parliamentarians is due to the increase in the country’s population, according to the latest census.
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Mexico
On June 1, Mexico will hold its first Extraordinary Election of the Federal Judiciary.
In this election, which will be held within the framework of the judicial reform promoted by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and approved in September, judges for at least 881 positions will be elected for District Courts, Circuit Courts, the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF) and its regional chambers, the recently created Tribunal of Judicial Discipline (TDJ), and nine ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN).
Arturo Zaldívar, general coordinator of Policy and Government of the Presidency of Mexico, reported that as of mid-December, at least 11,015 people registered to run for office are advancing in the process.
Bolivia
Bolivians will participate in general elections on August 10 to elect the president, vice president, 36 members of the Senate, and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies for the 2025-2030 period.
The electoral process will officially start on April 12, announced Tahuichi Tahuichi Quispe, a member of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
Although this process is not yet underway, some names of pre-candidates are already making the rounds, including former President Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002), businessman Samuel Doria Medina, former presidential candidate Chi Hyun Chung, the current mayor of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa, and businessman and former Minister Branko Marinkovic.
Within the ruling leftist Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), former President Evo Morales and current President Luis Arce, who could seek reelection, are currently being considered.
Argentina
In Argentina, there will be no presidential elections this year since current President Javier Milei just completed one year in power. However, the country will hold midterm legislative elections on October 26, which are also important for the ruling party.
On that day, 127 of the 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies for the 2025-2029 legislative period will be renewed, as well as 24 of the 72 seats in the Senate for the 2025-2031 term.
Recently, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni did not rule out that he could be the candidate of the ruling party, La Libertad Avanza. “If the president asks me, of course,” he responded in a press conference when asked about it.
Chile
On November 16, Chileans will vote to elect their new president for the 2026-2030 term, in addition to electing 155 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 23 senators out of the 50 Senate seats. If a presidential runoff election is necessary, it will be held on December 14.
Among the names making the rounds as possible candidates are former President Michelle Bachelet, Deputy Vlado Mirosevic, Minister Carolina Tohá, and former Minister Francisco Vidal for the ruling party. As for the opposition, the former mayor of Providencia, Evelyn Matthei, and former presidential candidate José Antonio Kast are being considered.
Honduras
Honduras will go to general elections on November 30 to elect the president, 128 deputies of the Congress of the Republic, 20 legislators of the Central American Parliament, 298 mayors and deputy mayors, and 2,092 councilors.
For the moment, the current minister of defense, Rixi Moncada, and deputy and vice president of the Congress, Rasel Tomé, are being considered as pre-candidates for the ruling leftist Liberty and Refoundation party (Libre).
On the opposition, there is the wife of disgraced former President Juan Orlando Hernández, Ana García Carías, journalist and Deputy Jorge Alberto Zelaya, former mayor and former presidential candidate Nasry Asfura, and Carlos Urbizo Solís for the National Party. For the Liberal Party, the pre-candidates are Deputy Jorge Cálix, the former party President Luis Zelaya, former presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla, and Deputy Maribel Espinoza.
Other elections
Suriname will hold parliamentary elections on May 25, where 51 members of the National Assembly will be elected.
In Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro announced in August that a “mega-election” will be held in 2025 to elect the 23 state governors, 335 mayors, and the members of the 23 state legislative councils and 335 municipal councils.
Belize, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago will hold parliamentary elections, and Guyana will hold elections to elect its president and the 65 members of the National Assembly.
(RT)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/SF
