By Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuador’s national assembly legislature on Wednesday elected Niels Olsen, a close ally of President Daniel Noboa, as its new body president, ensuring Noboa has a majority for now as he pushes anti-crime and economic reforms. A total of 80 legislators from Noboa’s National Democratic Action (ADN) party and lawmakers from […]
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Ecuador assembly elects ally of President Noboa as leader
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By Alexandra Valencia
QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuador’s national assembly legislature on Wednesday elected Niels Olsen, a close ally of President Daniel Noboa, as its new body president, ensuring Noboa has a majority for now as he pushes anti-crime and economic reforms.
A total of 80 legislators from Noboa’s National Democratic Action (ADN) party and lawmakers from smaller political factions backed Olsen at the first meeting of the assembly members elected in a February vote.
Noboa, a millennial business heir, won a full term in April by an unexpectedly wide margin, despite cries of fraud by his leftist rival. He has promised to continue a crackdown on crime gangs behind surging violence, to attract private investment to the beleaguered economy and push through reforms to comply with an International Monetary Fund deal.
Noboa won election in 2023 to finish out the term of former President Guillermo Lasso. Olsen, a 37-year-old businessman, served as tourism minister under Lasso and held the same post as part of Noboa’s inner circle.
“I’m here to build and not to divide,” said Olsen as he accepted the two-year post, adding Ecuador needs profound change.
Though a legislator from the leftist Citizens’ Revolution party was expected to be elected as first vice-president of the assembly, another ADN politician was instead chosen.
Having a close ally running assembly sessions or directing the most important committees might help Noboa’s party push through banner legislation.
Noboa, who will be inaugurated for his new term on May 24, has said he wants to reform the justice system to compliment widespread security operations. He has regularly questioned prosecutors and judges whose work he says is too lax on criminals.
Violence has spiked in recent weeks despite security efforts, with violent deaths increasing 65% in the first quarter to 2,361, according to Interior Ministry figures.
(Reporting by Alexandra ValenciaWriting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by David Gregorio)