Ecuador's president has claimed that someone attempted to poison him by placing three highly concentrated toxic substances in gifts of chocolate and jam.
Daniel Noboa stated that his team possesses proof to substantiate this claim, although he has not yet made any evidence public.
The South American leader informed CNN that he believes it is practically impossible for the three chemicals to exist in such high concentrations in those items by chance.
His remarks come against a backdrop of violent clashes in Ecuador, stemming from a steep rise in fuel prices since he took office. The centre-right politician has implemented military crackdowns on drug trafficking gangs but is also accused of targeting peaceful protesters.
Noboa has dismissed the allegations regarding alleged attempts on his life—marking the third incident in two months—as attempts to paint his critics as violent. No one throws a Molotov cocktail at themselves... or poisons themselves with chocolate, or throws stones at themselves, he remarked, addressing prior incidents where he faced threats.
Earlier in October, five individuals were apprehended under suspicions of an attempted assassination, as the government reported that approximately 500 people hurled rocks at his car and described the vehicle as having signs of bullet damage. The president reportedly emerged unscathed.
While independent verification of the bullet claims remains elusive, further escalations highlighted the tense atmosphere in the country, including a recent attack on a humanitarian convoy involving Noboa, which was ambushed by around 350 individuals.
The unrest has been fueled by a national strike, instigated by Ecuador's largest Indigenous organization—the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie)—aimed at protesting against government decisions to eliminate diesel subsidies, culminating in extensive marches and roadblocks throughout the country.
