Speaking to Prensa Latina, both questioned the judicial proceedings against Gonzalez, linking them to a context of deteriorating security, healthcare, education, and energy system ahead of the November 29 local elections.

Cabezas argued that, facing potentially unfavorable election results for the ruling party, the government requires distractions to shift focus away from the country’s structural problems.

In light of the situation, the assembly member accused Prosecutor General Leonardo Alarcon of working for the government and questioned the transparency of the process by which he was appointed.

Cabezas said Gonzalez’s arrest is linked to the regional landscape, marked by the judicial persecution of progressive figures across Latin America.

Virgilio Hernandez, in turn, suggested that her detention is yet another sign of what he described as a process of power concentration and the weakening of democratic institutions in Ecuador.

The detention of Gonzalez, who vied against Noboa for the presidency in both 2023 and 2025, caused a stir in the national political sphere.

The RC rejected allegations of campaign irregularities, and the party’s leader, Gabriela Rivadeneira, called for mobilizations to demand Gonzalez’s release during a press briefing.

On November 29, Ecuadorians will head to the polls to elect prefects, mayors, council members, parish board members, and other local officials, in an electoral process currently marred by allegations that the opposition is facing obstacles to its participation.

jdt/iff/car/avr