Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa secured a contested victory in the April 13, 2025, national elections, prompting Luisa Gonzalez to demand a recount. The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), in coordination with the North South Project For People’s Centered Human Rights (NSPPCHR), sent an international election observer team to Guayaquil, Ecuador, in solidarity with local partner Movimiento Afrodescendiente Nacional Ecuatoriano (MANE), despite President Noboa’s attempt to restrict international observers with Decree 597.
Election Observations
The National Electoral Council declared Daniel Noboa the winner of the second round of elections. BAP’s observer team noted a significant military presence, particularly at polling stations in predominantly Afro-Ecuadorian areas. The election results are occurring against a backdrop of ongoing human rights concerns, including the recent illegal kidnapping and murder of four Afro-Ecuadorian youth by Ecuadorian military officials.
Impact on Afro-Ecuadorian Communities
BAP’s delegation met with families affected by recent incidents involving police snipers and Afro-Ecuadorian youth in Guayaquil. These incidents, along with the inadequate response to a recent oil spill in the predominantly Afro-Ecuadorian region of Esmeraldas, highlight systemic issues facing the community. Residents of Esmeraldas reported that the Noboa government distributed water previously used to transport diesel fuel, raising concerns about the government’s regard for the population’s well-being.
Concerns Regarding U.S. Influence and Future Conditions
BAP expresses concern that Noboa’s re-election will worsen conditions for Black and poor Ecuadorians. The organization also warns of potential efforts to expand the U.S. military’s presence in Ecuador, which could exacerbate human rights violations against Afro-, Indigenous, and poor Ecuadorians. BAP emphasizes the need for an independent Afro-Ecuadorian political formation to counter these forces and protect the community’s rights.
Future Support and Collaboration
BAP will continue to support MANE in developing a national Afro-Ecuadorian movement. The organizations have collaborated for the past nine months, working towards a people-led movement focused on human rights. A press conference held on April 14, detailing these observations, will be released soon.
The article was written by Ajamu Baraka, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of the Black Alliance for Peace; Clau O’Brien Moscoso, organizer and co-coordinator of the Black Alliance for Peace Haiti/Americas Team; and Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright, international climate/environmental liberation and racial justice advocate.
