Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa revealed on Thursday that an unknown assailant had allegedly tried to poison him with chocolate and jam laced with toxic chemicals, gifts he received at a public event.
Speaking to CNN, Noboa stated that tests detected three “highly concentrated” toxic substances in the sweets, which he said “could not have been accidental.” He emphasized that the chemicals could not have originated from the products themselves or their packaging, and that his team had evidence to support the claim.
The military body responsible for the president’s security has reportedly filed a complaint with prosecutors.
This marks the second reported attempt on Noboa’s life amid escalating Indigenous protests and rising crime rates in Ecuador. Earlier this month, the government reported that Noboa’s motorcade came under attack from stone-throwing protesters over fuel price hikes, leaving his vehicle riddled with bullet marks, though no bullet casings were found and the president was unharmed. Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo described the incident as an “assassination attempt.”
Indigenous protests, led by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), have involved road blockades, including in Pichincha province, since September 22, citing rising fuel costs as a key grievance.
Some analysts have suggested that Noboa’s allegations could serve to portray protesters as violent, potentially strengthening his political position ahead of a November 16 referendum. The president is seeking approval to draft a new constitution aimed at implementing tougher measures against drug-related crime.
Ecuador, once considered one of Latin America’s safest countries, has become a major cocaine transit hub between Colombia and Peru, contributing to rising murder rates, prison massacres, and other violent incidents.
“No one throws a Molotov cocktail at themselves… or poisons themselves with chocolate, or throws stones at themselves,” Noboa remarked, underlining the seriousness of the alleged threats against him.
