Accusations, name-calling highlight Sunday’s debate

By Liam Higgins

If Ecuadorian voters expected to learn more in Sunday night’s presidential debate about how President Daniel Noboa and challenger Luisa González will run the country for the next four years, they probably came away disappointed. Although some key issues were covered, the debate was notable for the exchange of insults and charges of corruption between the candidates.

Luisa González and President Daniel Noboa shake hands before Sunday night’s debate.

Divided into five themes — education, health and social welfare, crime and security, economy and employment, and governance — Noboa and González frequently went off topic to launch personal attacks. In particular, the candidates returned repeatedly to the issue of drug trafficking and who was to blame for it.

In response to Noboa’s charge that the Correista “mafias” played a central role in the drug trade and helped finance her campaign, González suggested that the president of Noboa’s Democratic Action party, María Moreno, was deeply involved in drug trafficking through the nine companies she manages for the Noboa Group. González claimed large amounts of cocaine are exported from Ecuador in Noboa Company banana shipments.

Noboa referred frequently to González’s “fugitive friends,” former president Rafael Correa and former National Assemblyman Ronny Aleaga and imprisoned former vice president Jorge Glas, saying that corruption was at the heart of the Citizens Revolution movement. Noboa pointed out that González put Aleaga on the Assembly Administrative Council when she served in the Assembly.

Both candidates criticized their opponent for dodging questions posed by the moderator. “Focus, Noboa, focus,” González said on several occasions. Noboa responded, “Yes, René the Frog” [Rana René], referring to González’s Muppet code name in the Ligados investigation of members of the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control.

To Noboa’s claim that González would recognize Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, González admitted she would, but only for the purpose of repatriating refugees. In earlier interviews, she had refused to state a position on Maduro’s legitimacy.

Noboa twice brought up the topic of dollarization, warning Ecuadorians of the “Correista plan” to establish ecuadollars as an alternative to the U.S. dollar. “Don’t forget, Luisa de-dollarizes you,” Noboa said.

In addition to the René the Frog reference, both candidates used repeated insults against their rival. González prefaced many of her statements with “No, Noboa, don’t lie,” a line borrowed from Guillermo Lasso’s debate against Arauz.

Following one of Noboa’s references to René the Frog, González demanded angrily, “You respect me!,” adding that Noboa has a history of disrespecting women, including his ex-wife.

Following a heated exchange about drug-related corruption, González challenged Noboa to a drug test after the debate, in reference her accusation that Noboa is a “drug user.”

Beyond the insults and accusations, both candidates pledged to respect “republican institutions” such as freedom of speech and democratic elections. Both also said they would strengthen social security and education and protect the young people from drug cartels and gangs.

On the subject of crime, González called Noboa’s Plan Fénix a “total failure” and promised a new approach for fighting drug cartels and gangs, including improved control of ports, airports and borders. Noboa said he would continue his efforts toward an international alliance to fight drug trafficking, saying the issue is “too big” for one country to handle alone.

On other topics, González said she would return the VAT to 12%, provide 5% credits for housing, agriculture and small businesses.

Noboa pledged to provide bonus payments for police and military personnel, $1,000 bonuses for entrepreneurs, 100,000 scholarships English-language training, and funding for adults to finish the basic education.

In addition to the frequent insults, the debate was notable for the difference in personal styles of the candidates. While González wore a semi-formal black blouse and white jacket, Noboa showed up in jeans and sports coat, without a tie. During the debate, González was animated, visibly showing her anger at Noboa, while Noboa was reserved, expressing his disagreement with an occasional smirk.

In the pre-debate introduction, Noboa smiled during the handshake while González kept a stiff upper lip.