A Critical Election in Ecuador  

Nearly a year ago, Ecuador faced a surge of violence when drug gangs took over a TV station and kidnapped police, marking the country's worst security crisis. Since then, President Daniel Noboa has made modest progress, with homicides down 16%, but 2024 still ranked as Ecuador's second most violent year. Noboa also faced a severe energy crisis, with droughts leading to planned blackouts that hurt his previously strong public support. Despite economic challenges, including a potential recession, Noboa remains a leading candidate in the upcoming February 9 elections, narrowly ahead of correísta candidate Luisa González. As Ecuador prepares to vote, we analyze the fight against organized crime, the economic situation and how either Noboa or González might handle a potential Trump presidency in the U.S. Our guest is Sebastián Hurtado, the co-founder and CEO of Prófitas, a political risk consultancy based in Quito.