In Ecuador, which is characterized by increasing drug-related crime and eroding institutionality, the extraordinary presidential elections took place on August 20, 2023. After an election campaign overshadowed by violence, culminating in the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio on August 9, 2023, the elections were held in a climate of great fear and uncertainty. With 23.73% of the vote, the 35-year-old center-right candidate Daniel Noboa surprisingly succeeded in advancing to the runoff election on October 15, 2023, against Luisa González from the Correístas camp, who, as expected, was the formal winner of the first round with 33.26% of the vote.