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‘Carnival of Despair’ as Ecuadorians head to Polls Amidst security concerns, constitutional crises, and growing public doubts, the country holds first round of presidential elections

‘Carnival of Despair’ as Ecuadorians head to Polls

Amidst security concerns, constitutional crises, and growing public doubts, the country holds first round of presidential elections

LATEST for PWS by @douwedenheld.bsky.social and @anastasia-austin.bsky.social

Best campaign poster: “the one with the eyebrows”

Subscribe to @offmapmedia.bsky.social on substack (offmapmedia.substack.com) for an in-depth analysis of the elections (published as soon as results are in) and more! 4/4

In Quito, González’s campaign is far less visible—a few posters here and there, but nothing close to Noboa’s presence. The same goes for the other 14 candidates 3/4.

Polls predict Noboa will win – likely in a runoff in April. But that doesn’t mean he’s popular. For some, a vote for Noboa is about continuity; for others, it’s simply a vote against Luisa González, his main rival. Anti-Noboa graffiti scattered throughout the city also hints at discontent 2/4

We’re in Quito covering tomorrow’s elections. So far, President Noboa’s campaign is by far the most visible. Cardboard cutouts in various outfits (think: business-Noboa, gym-Noboa, casual-Noboa) are everywhere (photo 1). 1/4

‘I felt death in the flames’: how lighting a forest fire inspired one man to transform a barren ranch into rainforest Juan Guillermo Garcés had a brush with death while burning jungle for cattle pasture – now he runs a nature reserve in Colombia where more than 100 new species have been discovered

From rancher to reforester: @anastasia-austin.bsky.social and I explore in @theguardian.com how Juan Guillermo Garcés built a 3,000 hectare reserve in Colombia after a youth of cutting down jungle. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

OffMap Media | Douwe | Substack On-the-ground reporting, analysis, and storytelling from two investigative journalists cycling through South America. Click to read OffMap Media, a Substack publication. Launched 2 days ago.

Hi Bluesky! 👋

We’re OffMap Media - an independent journalism project by two reporters cycling through the Andes.

Expect notes from the field, photos, and stories from the road.

Learn more about us and read our latest Field Dispatch here: open.substack.com/pub/offmapme...

Thanks! Our background is reporting on organized crime but we ll be looking at other topics too. Climate change, (cycling) culture, etc. And it will be trocha all the way through the Andes! Do you remember the names of the Dutch sports journalists?

Hey Ben, could you add me and @anastasia-austin.bsky.social , we re two journalists who are started our across South America journalism and cycling trip this Sunday

Item in yesterday’s Espectador how rising extortion in Medellin, Buenaventura, and Quibdó have become gangs’ most profitable source of income, “impeding urban Paz Total.”

The trend goes far beyond these cities and even Colombia. Extortion has skyrocketed in Ecuador, Peru, Mexico and others. 1/2 👇

I recommend @anastasia-austin.bsky.social, great investigative journalist focusing on corruption in Latin America !

Without an agreement on cutting back plastic production Busan joins Baku and Cali as the third disappointing summit in a month. Coastal communities are among the first who suffer the consequences as sea levels rise, biodiversity drops and plastic fills their beaches. picture: Juanchaco, Colombia.

@anastasia-austin.bsky.social

First time I’ve arrived at an airport closed during the day, as we re a bit early for today’s only flight (aeropuerto Alcides Fernández Acandí, Chocó)

I’ve created a group for those reporting on and researching corruption and organized crime.

bsky.app/starter-pack...

Will do my best to keep it up-to date, but let me know if you’d like to be added.

Thanks both!

Excited to see whether Bluesky can make it! Lot of new followers, thanks for that! I am building a starter deck with journalists covering Latin America in English here: go.bsky.app/42Ly6NV