Most Ecuadorians Believe Economy, Security Haven’t Improved Since President Noboa Took Office

Majority Also Say that Noboa Has Used the Presidency to Advance Family Business Interests

Sixty-one percent of Ecuadorians say their economic situation and personal security have not improved since President Daniel Noboa took office, a YouGov poll commissioned by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) shows. Less than a quarter of respondents replied “yes” to either question – 19 percent and 23 percent, respectively, in the poll conducted March 28 to April 7, 2025. A majority also said that they believe the Ecuadorian economy overall has not improved under Noboa.

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2070061/CEPR_Logo.jpg

61% of Ecuadorians say their economic situation and personal security haven't improved since President Noboa took office

“On the most important issues in this election – security and the economy – those polled overwhelmingly responded that they believe Noboa has failed to help them in a time of crisis,” CEPR Co-DirectorMark Weisbrot said. “This could easily be a game changer in a very close election.”

A majority – 58 percent – responded that they believe that Noboa has used the office of the presidency to advance his family's business interests. A recentinvestigative report by CEPR shows that Noboa's family holds a significant share in a major Canadian mining company that would benefit from a planned trade agreement with Canada – especially if controversial investor-state dispute settlement provisions are included, as Noboa has repeatedly sought, despite their unconstitutionality and defeat in a popular referendum last year.

Most Ecuadorians polled said Noboa has not done enough for communities affected by a massive oil spill March 13 in Esmeraldas province. Half a million people lost access to potable water as a result. Noboa has been criticized for not traveling to the area, especially after he traveled to Florida to attempt to meet with Donald Trump at the end of March.

A plurality said they do not believe that Noboa has disposed of offshore assets in tax havens. A 2023 investigation by Brazil's leading newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo revealed that Noboa at least partially controlled two Panama-based shell companies. A new investigation,reported widely in South American media, shows that Noboa also is part owner of another offshore company based in Panama, Lanfranco Holdings, which is majority shareholder of Noboa Trading – the Noboa family company at the center of arecent scandal after bricks of cocaine have been uncovered in banana shipments multiple times in recent years.