(Continued from Part 1)
Noboa called for a national referendum and plebiscite on 11 questions, including the extradition of drug dealers and “terrorists”; giving the Armed Forces greater latitude in internal security; allowing international mediation; and enabling part-time work (all of these currently banned by the Constitution). The vote will take place on April 21st.Most polls indicate that the questions will muster a majority, with higher percentages for the security questions and lower on the part-time work issue.
Noboa’s administration was in the news recently because the police entered by force into the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas. Glas had been condemned on two corruption charges and was wanted as well for a new trial on corruption in the rebuilding in the province of Manabí after the 2016 earthquake. The Organization of American States, the U.S. government, the United Nations and other countries and institutions criticized the government for violating the Vienna Convention on the immunity of diplomatic premises. However, the move led to an increase in Noboa's support in the national consultation.
Former President Rafael Correa for his part called for other countries and organizations to sanction Ecuador; this in turn led several observers in Ecuador (including myself) to consider him a traitor, for being a former President and Ecuadorian citizen who calls for sanctions to Ecuador.
Noboa will likely run for reelection to a full term, on the elections to be held on February 9, 2025. If he runs, he will have to request leave of absence to campaign, which will be awkward given that he is in stark conflict with his Vice President, Verónica Abad (whom he sent as an “Ambassador” to Israel, supposedly to “solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”). There is some speculation that he is pressuring her to resign, which has included arresting her son Francisco Barreiro Abad, for supposed influence peddling.
6 months of the government of Daniel Noboa - part 2