Lula congratulates Ecuador’s president‑elect

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday (Oct. 16) congratulated Ecuador’s President-elect Daniel Noboa and expressed his willingness to deepen bilateral relations with the South American country. The businessman won the second round of the presidential elections on Sunday (15) and will complete Guillermo Lasso’s term until May 2025.

“My congratulations to Daniel Noboa on his victory in Ecuador’s presidential elections. I wish him good health and success in his future mandate. I express my willingness to continue working for the well-being of our traditionally friendly nations, deepen bilateral relations, and act for the development of South America,” Lula wrote in a post on social media.

At 35, Noboa will be the youngest head of state in Ecuador’s history. The son of one of the country’s richest men, Álvaro Noboa, the president-elect has only had two years’ experience in politics as a member of the National Assembly.

Noboa will take office in December, on a date yet to be determined, and will face a scenario marked by insecurity, poverty, and unemployment nationwide. In May, President Guillermo Lasso dissolved parliament and called early elections in a bid to halt his own impeachment process amid accusations of corruption.

This year’s elections were characterized by episodes of violence during the campaign. In recent months, politicians and candidates for government positions have been killed in the country. Among them was presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, murdered before the first round in August.