Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) has qualified the pre-candidacy of Marcos Zambrano Zambrano for prefect of the western province of Manabi ahead of local elections on November 29, 2026. Zambrano is running under the banner of the ruling political movement National Democratic Action (ADN), list 7.
The five-member national electoral body approved Zambrano's registration during a session on August 26, 2026, after rejecting a legal challenge filed by political rival Ulises Carófilis that sought to block the nomination over his leadership of a public university.
The CNE plenary voted four to one to deny the appeal presented by Carófilis, who represents the provincial political movement Decision, Capacity and Democracy (Decide). Electoral councilors José Merino, Enrique Pita, Esthela Acero, and José Cabrera voted to approve Zambrano's pre-candidacy, while councilor Elena Nájera cast the sole vote against.
Legal challenge over university rectorate
Carófilis had challenged Zambrano's pre-candidacy on the grounds that he serves as a professor and rector at the Laica Eloy Alfaro Secular University of Manabi (Uleam). The opponent argued that Zambrano was legally required to resign from his university leadership post before running for a position filled by popular vote.
However, the Provincial Electoral Board of Manabi had previously declared the objection inadmissible in a resolution issued on August 20. The provincial authority ruled that Carófilis failed to demonstrate that the candidate fell under any of the legal disqualifications specified in Article 113 of the Constitution of Ecuador, thereby complying with Article 95 of the Democracy Code.
Official records showed that on August 11, the university's superior governing body granted Zambrano unpaid leave from August 12 through November 30. As a result, the provincial board determined that he was not actively exercising the duties of rector during his campaign.
Jackeline Terranova was designated to replace Zambrano in the rectorate at Uleam during his absence. The provincial board, chaired by Karla Loor Zambrano, who is listed as a public teaching employee at the university, concluded that the temporary substitution prevents any unfair advantage in the use of economic, logistical, or human resources.
A legal report analyzed by the CNE plenary agreed with the provincial board's reasoning, concluding that Zambrano's right to political participation could not be denied. The report noted that while Zambrano maintains his appointment as a tenured professor, his unpaid leave prior to candidate registration meant he was not required to resign.
Zambrano's nomination is not yet final, as political actors retain the right to file subjective contentious appeals before the Electoral Dispute Tribunal (TCE), which acts as the court of final instance in Ecuadorian electoral matters.
Rejection of Aguarico mayoral candidate
During the same Wednesday night session, the CNE also revoked a candidate registration decision made by members of the Provincial Electoral Board of Orellana. The national council cited a lack of diligence and failure to enforce candidate registration rules established under the Democracy Code.
The legal challenge in Orellana was brought by Guadalupe Llori, the former president of Ecuador's National Assembly. Llori filed the appeal in her capacity as legal representative for the Amazonian Roots alliance, a coalition comprising the Democratic Center movement (list 1), the Social Christian Party (PSC, list 6), and the Patriotic Society Party (PSP, list 21).
Llori contested the candidate registration of Juan Marcelo Condo Jipa for mayor of the Aguarico canton in the eastern Amazonian province of Orellana. Condo Jipa had submitted his candidacy registration representing only the Social Christian Party rather than under the banner of the multi-party coalition.
Electoral law and regulations explicitly prohibit political organizations that belong to an approved coalition from presenting independent candidates for offices covered by their alliance agreement.
The CNE plenary overturned the registration approval granted by Orellana provincial board members Sebastián Pillajo Amanta, Martha Llerena Miranda, Evelyn Otero Silva, and Sandra Vargas Olalla. The national electoral council ordered a formal reprimand against all four officials for failing to follow electoral norms.
