Ecuadorian voters have voiced their expectations for the government led by Daniel Noboa as the incumbent president of the Latin American country won Sunday's presidential runoff for another four-year term in office.
The country's National Electoral Council officially recognized Noboa's victory on Sunday night, although the losing candidate, Luisa Gonzalez, said she would challenge the results and request a recount.
Noboa's win gives him a strong mandate to continue with his iron-fisted approach to rising levels of crime in Ecuador, which was a top concern among voters.
"We need to fight against drug trafficking, against the crime that is behind the violence, and we need to fight against the corruption that is holding the country back," said Arturo Valdiviezo, a voter.
Once relatively peaceful, Ecuador now has the highest murder rate in Latin America.
Noboa's policies have had mixed results so far, but it appears clear from this vote that most Ecuadoreans want to give him another chance.
"The government plan is difficult to execute, but we must give it time," said Gloria Herrera, another voter.
Noboa won a snap election 18 months ago when then-president Guillermo Lasso stepped down and dissolved Congress.
Early on, he decreed that crime gangs would be treated as terrorists but told voters he needed a full mandate to complete his security plan.
"The issues that matter most for citizens are security and work. Fundamentally, I believe these are the two main things. We have to reactivate the economy, we have to reach a consensus to get out of the social crisis, the political crisis, and the economic crisis that the country is going through," said Marcelo Aguinaga, an electoral analyst.
Ecuadorians voice expectations as President Daniel Noboa wins re-election
Daniel Noboa re-elected president of Ecuador
