Daniel Noboa

Following the surge in criminal violence in January 2024, Daniel Noboa declared an 'internal armed conflict' and expanded the armed forces' role in domestic security. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International subsequently documented serious allegations of extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment and enforced disappearances in connection with this strategy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Ecuadorian forces forcibly entered the Mexican embassy in Quito and arrested former Vice-President Jorge Glas, who had been granted asylum there. In proceedings before the International Court of Justice, Ecuador stated that the president had authorised the forced entry because of the risk of escape, triggering a major diplomatic rupture and allegations of violating diplomatic inviolability.

Attribution

Political responsibility

Emergency contracts signed by CELEC with Progen during the 2024 electricity crisis became the subject of observations by the Comptroller General and a criminal investigation into alleged peculado (embezzlement of public funds). In April–May 2026, prosecutors requested and obtained a hearing to bring charges against 21 people, including former Energy Minister Antonio Gonçalves and former CELEC executive Fabián Calero. The engines concerned had failed to deliver the expected capacity, and the Comptroller General had estimated losses exceeding $100 million.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Exportadora Bananera Noboa, a family group company, regularised a tax debt by benefiting from a general scheme waiving interest and penalties adopted during Daniel Noboa's presidency. The company paid the principal owed and was removed from the list of major debtors, but the substantial benefit to a company owned by the head of state's family fuelled debate about conflicts of interest.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Local elections, originally scheduled for 2027, were brought forward to 29 November 2026. Meanwhile, several political organisations were suspended or removed from the register through electoral or administrative proceedings. The IACHR called on Ecuador to guarantee pluralistic and fair participation. Noboa himself publicly commented on suspensions involving opposition-linked movements, referring in particular to suspicions of money laundering.

State of the evidence

Documented

The government suspended elected Vice-President Verónica Abad for five months; Noboa then appointed temporary acting vice-presidents by decree and delegated presidential duties to them during certain campaign activities. An ordinary court overturned the administrative suspension, and the Constitutional Court reiterated that an elected office-holder could not be suspended in this manner.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Following the first round of the 2025 presidential election, Noboa alleged irregularities but, according to the European Union election observation mission, submitted neither supporting evidence nor formal objections to electoral authorities. The final report considered the second round transparent and well organised and stated that the vote had contradicted narratives of fraud.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Personally implicated

The European Union election observation mission noted that Noboa had not taken full leave at the beginning of the campaign and that simultaneously acting as president and candidate blurred the distinction between institutional resources and electoral competition. The crisis with Verónica Abad compounded the controversy over who should assume delegated presidential duties.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Noboa led a march against the Constitutional Court after provisions of security legislation were suspended. Public displays of judges' faces and government rhetoric prompted accusations of intimidation and concerns over judicial independence; the Court subsequently invalidated disputed legislation.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Lawyer and activist Yaku Pérez filed a complaint against Noboa, his wife and officials linked to the Loma Larga mining project, alleging, among other things, influence peddling and corruption relating to the licence and donations. A judge subsequently closed the complaint in October 2025, finding that the evidence presented did not support a presumption that an offence had occurred or that those accused were responsible.

The Echo Olón project by Vinazin, a company almost entirely owned by Noboa's wife in which he had previously been a shareholder, triggered a political crisis after environmental permits were obtained shortly after he took office, amid criticism relating to a protected area. Previous professional links between ministers and the project intensified suspicions of conflicts of interest, and prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation.

State of the evidence

Documented

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Ecuador experienced lengthy electricity cuts in 2024, caused in particular by drought, a generation shortfall and structural weaknesses in the sector. Noboa had promised investment and a swift resolution, but the crisis worsened and power cuts reached several hours per day, fuelling criticism of government preparation and management.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

A Primicias investigation into the family business empire behind Daniel Noboa reported that, in 2020, the SRI ranked Grupo Noboa among the Ecuadorian business groups with the most entities domiciled in tax havens, with 17 members involved, as well as offshore companies linked to the group in the Panama Papers.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press