President Daniel Noboa and his growing popularity show that his communication strategy and network management are beginning to compete with a worn-out Correismo, trapped under the image of its leader.
President Daniel Noboa at an event in Portoviejo, on January 4, 2024.
Former President Rafael Correa had the Saturdays, but President Daniel Noboa has the social networks. And his latest hit caused a stir when he mocked the former president for his way of speaking English.
Noboa, 36, surprised in a live interview by imitating some statements by Correa, 60, that had been turned into memes and stickers, and were already part of the new digital language of millennials and centennials.
The President’s incisive response was given in a publication by the leader of the Citizen Revolution in
Supporters and detractors of both political figures turned Noboa’s response into a national trend , with an avalanche of new memes and mockery around the phrase mispronounced by Correa: ” Because he’s nice, because he’s handsome. It’s something incredible !”
However, Correa’s attempts to counteract the ‘blow’ dealt by Noboa did not have the expected effect. And even the majority of figures of the Citizen Revolution remained silent . It is not the first time that its historical leader collaborated so that the memes against him multiply.
His most unconditional followers tried to support him, but without much success. For example, legislator Ana María Raffo praised Correa and blamed the “ignorant” people, arguing that “each nation has the government it deserves.”
While assembly members Esther Cuesta and Mónica Palacios took on the job of making videos. The first was to accuse the Government of distracting citizens while they carried out a “double package” and the second was to attack President Noboa in English.
Only the mayor of Quito, Pabel Muñoz, used the mispronounced words to refer to the capital (“Quito is somting incredibol”) and present the summary of his administration’s weekly activities.
But the President did not miss the opportunity either and joined the trend with a video published on his TikTok account. There he used the ‘famous’ phrase to highlight the important issues, in his eyes, that he had addressed in the interview. But without leaving aside the informal, humorous and youthful style of that social network.
A distraction?
Precisely what was pointed out by Cuesta and by Noboa himself was one of the parallel debates on networks: how a viralized video focused the attention of citizens, while in the National Assembly the political forces struggle to define the way to finance the internal armed conflict.
The Executive’s intention to increase the VAT had taken over social networks in the days prior to Noboa’s last interview, with comments of support and rejection. And he was also part of the televised program but was overshadowed by the brief sarcasm against Correa.
In any case, the government and its officials did not echo the trend and Noboa only mentioned it in one of his four network accounts (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X). While those who fueled it were the representatives and followers of Correism .
And Correa’s own responses also gave Internet users material to position new trends, such as the word “vulgar”: the former president defined himself as a “vulgar Guayaquileño”, when he said that Noboa speaks better English because he is a “gringo.”
The strategy
From the remembered and their song lists on Spotify, the skillful management of social networks of the then candidate and now President shows that his communication strategy is working… at least, for now.
While Correismo mocked all these actions, Daniel Noboa surprisingly and unexpectedly won the extraordinary elections when the registry was dominated by millennials and centennials, who make up 54% of the voters.
Furthermore, by fulfilling, even superficially, his campaign promises since coming to power, President Noboa has managed to win massive supporters. And citizen perception of his management has been increasing, reaching 80% after his decision to declare internal conflict and take the military to the streets.
If the trend continues, this would allow Noboa to win the consultation and referendum that await the final control of the Constitutional Court.
All this without having other important political figures on his side to accompany him in his government and provide him with popular support, nor a legally constituted party that echoes his speeches and work plans.
Noboa , as during the presidential campaign, is the only voice and image of a personalist and ‘hard-handed’ project, in which he only gives some parallel prominence to his wife, who helps him sustain his popularity from another perspective. angle, more social and personal.
