Noboa’s popularity continues to slide; Chief of Pichincha judicial office resigns following release of tapes; Nine more prisoner deaths reported at Litoral

President Daniel Noboa’s popularity continues to decline, according to a survey by Consultora Opinion Publica. In its December poll of 10 South American presidents, Noboa ranked seventh, with a positive rating of 39.4%, down 3.1% from the November poll.

Following his May election, Noboa ranked first among the presidents with a 52% positive rating.

The death rate of inmates at Litoral Prison is 20 times the international average, according to Human Rights Watch.

In the Consultora Opinion Publica poll, Argentina’s Javier Milei ranked first at 48.3% followed by Bolivia’s Rodriguez Paz, 47.6% and Brazil’s Lula de Silva, 47.1%.

Consultora assistant director Carlos Gallos said Noboa’s poll numbers reflected the November defeat of his referendum questions as well as his government’s failure to rein in violent crime.

Particularly notable about the latest polling, Gallos said, was the inability of any of the presidents to reach a 50% positive rating. “This is an indication of the cynicism that has defined the public mood in the past five years and the cynicism appears to be increasing,” he said.

Chief of Pichincha judicial office resigns
Henry Gaibor has resigned his position as director of the Pichincha judicial office. The Tuesday resignation was requested by the National Judicial Council following release of audio tapes in which Gaibor is heard pressuring a judge to acquit Serbian drug trafficker Jezdimir Srdan on money laundering charges.

Judge Carlos Serrano and a fellow judge resisted the pressure and found Srdan guilty, after which Serrano left the country, citing threats to his life.

Mario Godoy, president of the National Judicial Council, has been summoned to appear before the National Assembly next week to explain Gaibor’s behavior and answer other questions regarding judicial corruption.

One issue assembly members say they will question Godoy about is his personal connection to the Srdan case. Godoy’s wife, Dolores Vintimilla, represented Srdan in a 2024 trial.

Nine more prisoner deaths reported at Litoral
Nine inmate deaths were reported Monday and Tuesday at Litoral Prison in Guayaquil, bringing the total for December to 35. Prison officials said that all the deaths were the result of “disease and health issues” but said specific causes have yet to be determined. According to families of the inmates, several recent deaths have been the result of starvation.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 800 inmate deaths have been reported at Litoral, 20 times the international prison death rate average, according to Human Rights Watch.

The government has banned family visits to prisoners at Litoral since January and restricted access of the media except to management offices.