International
What will the second round of Ecuador’s elections be like?
October 13 |
Next Sunday, October 15, the presidential candidate of Revolución Ciudadana (RC), Luisa González, and the candidate of the coalition Acción Democrática Nacional (ADN), Daniel Noboa, will face each other in the second round of the early elections in Ecuador.
More than 13 million Ecuadorians will go to the polls to choose who will be their president. This is the second round of voting after in the first round held last August 20 none of the candidates achieved a simple majority of 50 percent plus one.
The winner will succeed Guillermo Lasso and will finish the presidential term 2021-2025, due to the fact that, in May 2023, the current president decreed the dissolution of the National Assembly at the same time as the end of his presidential term, a mechanism called “muerte cruzada”, which allows calling for early general elections.
Daniel Noboa, 35, is a businessman and son of Alvaro Noboa, who was a presidential candidate on several occasions. Noboa seeks to create tax incentives and tax exemptions for new businesses. In terms of security, he wants to strengthen the judicial system, combat cyber crimes and improve the prison system.
The candidate of former President Rafael Correa’s party, Luisa Gonzalez, 45, became the first woman to obtain such a significant percentage in the first round of presidential elections with 33 percent of the votes in her favor, she advocates fighting crime, corruption and strengthening the judiciary.
Several pollsters authorized by the National Electoral Council (CNE) have presented their latest figures to the population.
The company Comunicaliza indicates that 41.5 percent of the Ecuadorians consulted would opt for Daniel Noboa. While the candidate Luisa Gonzalez, obtains 36.4 percent. In addition, 12.4 percent are still undecided as to who they will vote for, while 9.7 percent will decide to vote blank or null.
According to the results of the pollster Telcodata, the representative of Alianza Democrática would have 36.7 percent, while the candidate of the Revolución Ciudadana movement would have 36.4 percent. Although everything would be decided by those who still do not know for whom they will vote, since this group represents 15.9 percent.
Another pollster called Negocios & Estrategias places Noboa in first place with 39 percent, but Gonzalez with 38.63 percent, which reflects the tightness of this second round. And 17.07 percent still have not decided for whom they will vote.
In Ecuador voting is mandatory for the majority of the population. Voting is imperative for citizens between 18 and 65 years of age, for young people between 16 and 17 years of age and for active duty members of the Police and Armed Forces.
In the event that any person fails to comply with his obligation to participate in the elections, a fine of 10 percent of the minimum wage will be imposed. Persons over 65 years of age, health professionals working on election day, if they were sick, disabled, had a domestic calamity, were involved in a traffic accident or if they were out of the country will be exempted from paying the fine.
International
At Least Eight Dead and 19 Injured in Deadly Bus Crash in Veracruz, Mexico
A tragic bus accident in the eastern state of Veracruz left at least eight people dead and 19 others injured on Wednesday afternoon, according to local authorities.
The vehicle was traveling through the town of Zontecomatlán when it crashed near a ravine, state Civil Protection officials reported late Wednesday night. “Regrettably, the prosecutor’s office has confirmed eight fatalities,” the agency stated in an official release.
Emergency Response and Medical Care Rescue teams worked into the night to assist the survivors. The 19 injured passengers were stabilized at the scene before being transported to hospitals in the nearby municipalities of Chicontepec and Huayacocotla. While the identities of the victims have not yet been released, Mexican press reports indicate the bus was en route from Mexico City to Chicontepec.
A Recurring Issue on Mexican Highways Road accidents involving long-haul passenger buses and freight transport are a frequent occurrence in Mexico. Experts often cite excessive speed, mechanical failure, or driver fatigue as the primary catalysts for these tragedies.
This latest incident follows another major disaster in late November, where 10 people were killed and 20 injured in a similar bus crash in the western state of Michoacán. The recurring nature of these accidents continues to spark national debate regarding the enforcement of stricter safety regulations for commercial transport units.
International
Jair Bolsonaro Hospitalized for Inguinal Hernia Surgery While Serving Sentence for Attempted Coup
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup, underwent surgery this Thursday for an inguinal hernia. The procedure took place at the DF Star Hospital in Brasilia, according to his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro.
The 70-year-old former leader left prison on Wednesday for the first time since his incarceration in late November to prepare for the operation. “My love has just gone to the surgical center,” Michelle Bolsonaro posted on Instagram, where she has been documenting her accompaniment during his hospitalization.
Surgical Expectations and Health History Medical professionals treating the far-right ex-president (2019-2022) anticipate the operation will last approximately four hours. His recovery period in the hospital is expected to extend between five and seven days.
Dr. Claudio Birolini explained on Wednesday that while the surgery is standardized, it remains complex due to the patient’s history. Bolsonaro continues to suffer from the long-term effects of a 2018 campaign rally stabbing, an injury that required several major abdominal surgeries in the years following the attack.
“There is no such thing as a simple surgery. However, this is a scheduled and standardized procedure, so we expect it to be carried out without major complications,” Dr. Birolini stated.
Potential Additional Procedures Following the hernia repair, the medical team will evaluate whether Bolsonaro can undergo a second procedure: an anesthetic block of the phrenic nerve. This nerve controls the diaphragm, and the intervention would aim to resolve a chronic case of recurrent hiccups that has plagued the former president for years.
Bolsonaro remains under heavy security at the medical facility as he serves his lengthy sentence related to the events surrounding the January 2023 institutional crisis in Brazil.
International
Trump Orders Construction of New ‘Golden Fleet’ to Revitalize U.S. Naval Superiority
President Donald Trump issued an executive order this Monday for the immediate construction of two new warships that will bear his name. These vessels will be the pioneers of what he described as the “Golden Fleet,” a future generation of “Trump-class” battleships that he claimed would be “100 times more powerful” than those currently in service.
The announcement took place at his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The President indicated that following the initial two ships, the administration aims to commission up to 25 additional vessels. He is scheduled to meet with Florida-based contractors next week to expedite production, criticizing existing defense firms for failing to deliver results efficiently.
This naval expansion is a cornerstone of Trump’s goal to revitalized the American shipbuilding industry and address the strategic gap between the U.S. and competitors like China.
The move comes amid heightened geopolitical tension. Just last week, Trump ordered the seizure of all sanctioned tankers involved with Venezuela’s “ghost fleet” to cripple the country’s crude oil industry. Since December 10, the U.S. military—deployed in the Caribbean under the guise of counter-narcotics operations—has already detained two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil transport.
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