Bulletproof vest, impassive face and calm voice: the young millionaire Daniel Noboa explains in a few words the secret recipe that earned him an unexpected place in the second round of the Ecuadorian presidential election.
His qualification for the second round on October 15, against the left-wing candidate (and runner-up to ex-president in exile Rafael Correa, in power from 2007 to 2017), Luisa Gonzalez, did not surprise him, he assures us. -he in an exclusive interview with AFP, carried out in a campaign van guarded by an army of bodyguards, police and soldiers.
Virtually unknown until now in politics, he develops his proposals to put back on track a country sinking inexorably into the violence of drug trafficking, bereaved by the assassination of one of the main candidates and mired in debt.
“Patience”, “discipline”, private opinion polls and electoral strategy… Mr. Noboa affirms that he knew, even before the vote, that he would be hounding Ms. Gonzalez.
Down in the polls as the election approached, Mr. Noboa had reversed the predictions and amassed 24% of the vote, behind Luisa Gonzalez who won 33%.
If he wins on October 15, he will be at 35 the youngest president to come to power in Ecuador, in an election clouded by the assassination of centrist candidate Fernando Villavicencio on August 9.
Five days later, he was the only candidate to participate in the presidential debate wearing a bulletproof vest, a successful publicity stunt. Even if he admits to being really “worried” for his safety.
His father, banana tycoon and wealthy businessman Alvaro Noboa, unsuccessfully ran for president of Ecuador five times. He also assures that he is able to put an end to this series of electoral failures.
“I am Daniel Noboa, I do what I want and I have my own ideology”, he declares in response to those who accuse him of being on the right. He presents himself as a “businessman with a heart” and a “moderate social democrat”.
That day, he had just addressed hundreds of supporters in the coastal province of Santa Elena, his political stronghold. His flagship idea, to build prison ships on the high seas to isolate the most dangerous inmates and disconnect them from their criminal networks, drew applause.
Here are some excerpts from his interview.
QUESTION: Are you afraid of assassination?
ANSWER: “More than fear, it’s a worry to see what the country has become. It’s very hard. I have a one and a half year old child who goes to kindergarten, my wife who goes around in the poorest neighborhoods, it’s a concern that I carry all day”.
Q: Do you think it is possible to stop the violence?
A: Narco-terrorist groups are involved here. We are living a war. It is possible to take strong measures (…) In a year and a half, we cannot change the world, but we can change several essential things. Reduce violence, give opportunities to young people (…) where do they end up if they have nothing to eat?
Q: Were you surprised to end up in second place?
A: “We already had the almost exact numbers, actually. We ran a unique campaign that will go down in history. We never said we were second, because second is always beaten, always insulted, always attacked by everyone: by the first and by all those who want to be second. We have implemented our strategy on social networks, in the territories, in order to achieve maximum popularity on the day of the election. ..) We gained almost ten points after the debate for which I prepared for three days, (…) everything was very well planned. (…) I have already lived through nine campaigns. (… ) We also knew how to be patient and very disciplined”.
Q: How do you plan to restore the country’s economy?
A: “We have to open up to international banks (…) They say there is no money in this country, while we have the historical record of deposits in Ecuador! Where is the money The money went to the banks instead of creating jobs.”
Q: What would you say to former President Correa?
A: “I would tell him a lot of things. We have similarities in some areas and big differences in others. But I would tell him we’re here and we’re going to win. I’m not going to persecute anyone. We don’t fight hate by hatred. If you have been persecuted and if you respond with the persecution of the other, you will never break the cycle, and this vicious cycle must be broken (…) for the well-being of the vast majority today ‘now abandoned’.
Q: What was the hardest moment of this campaign?
A: There have been anxious times, when you see the numbers still aren’t with you (…) and tough times, when they kill one of your competitors and you say to yourself well , I say similar things to him, maybe they will kill me too”.
08/26/2023 13:22:17 – Salinas (Equateur) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP