Ecuador’s Nov. 29 elections will coincide with forecasts of more frequent and intense El Niño rainfall.
Ecuador’s decision to move its local and Citizen Participation Council elections to Nov. 29 is facing renewed scrutiny after official forecasts indicated that El Niño-related rainfall is expected to become more frequent and intense during November and December.
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President Daniel Noboa had justified moving the elections forward from Feb. 14, 2027, saying the earlier date would help ensure voters in rural coastal areas could reach polling stations despite the effects of El Niño.
But an updated assessment from Ecuador’s National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Inamhi) shows that the new election date falls at the start of the period when the weather event is expected to be most severe. Rainfall is forecast to increase progressively between September and October, before El Niño-related precipitation becomes more frequent and intense in November and December 2026 and continues into the first months of 2027.
🇪🇨 CNE de Ecuador alerta riesgo en 368 centros de votación por el fenómeno de El Niño
📌 El ente electoral identifica vulnerabilidades por lluvias y deslaves de cara a los comicios del 29 de noviembre.#teleSUR #Ecuador #ElNiño pic.twitter.com/mBseBRH0VP
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) September 16, 2026
Text Reads: 🇪🇨 Ecuador’s CNE warns of risk in 368 polling stations due to the El Niño phenomenon
📌 The electoral body identifies vulnerabilities due to rains and landslides ahead of the November 29 elections.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) has identified 368 polling stations at risk out of 4,399 planned nationwide.
Of those, 257 are considered vulnerable to flooding, mainly in the provinces of Guayas, Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Orellana. Another 111 face landslide risks in areas affected by unstable slopes or mass movements in provinces including Tungurahua, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Cañar, Azuay and Chimborazo.
The CNE is coordinating with the National Risk Management Secretariat to prepare contingency plans and arrange emergency relocations if necessary.
The forecasts have renewed criticism from opposition sectors, which had questioned the decision to alter the electoral calendar. They accused Noboa’s administration of changing the date for political convenience and shortening the campaign period.
Former President Rafael Correa responded to the Inamhi warning by saying the updated forecast contradicted the government’s position and accusing the administration of manipulating the climate threat.
Assembly member Mónica Palacios also criticized Noboa and CNE authorities, accusing them of adjusting the electoral timetable to serve the interests of the governing camp.
The local and Citizen Participation Council and Social Control (Cpccs) elections were originally scheduled for Feb. 14, 2027. The vote is now set for Nov. 29, as El Niño enters its initial development phase, according to the information provided by Ecuadorian authorities.
The updated forecasts and the number of polling stations already identified as vulnerable have left electoral authorities preparing for potential weather-related disruptions despite the government’s original justification for bringing the vote forward.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.