Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has alleged that an attempt was made to poison him after receiving chocolate and jam contaminated with toxic chemicals during a public event.

In an interview with CNN, Noboa said that laboratory tests revealed three "highly concentrated" poisonous substances in the gifts, insisting that their presence "could not have been accidental." He added that his team had gathered proof to support the claim, noting that the contamination did not come from the products themselves or their packaging.

According to an internal report cited by local media, the incident occurred on October 17 in Babahoyo. The Protocol Team allegedly received a gift basket containing artisanal products from an entrepreneur in Vinces. A security inspection reportedly uncovered traces of thionyl chloride, chloroethanol, and anthracene, all highly toxic compounds, in tamarind and chocolate jams and a cacao mistela. Emergency procedures were activated, and authorities opened a formal investigation into the origin of the basket.

#URGENTE Intentan envenenar al presidente Noboa, con veneno en un regalo comestible que recibió en visita a Babahoyo días atrás; según informe de Inteligencia 🎁de emprendedora contenía varios artesanías y la seguridad detectó que 3 presentaron sustancias químicas altamente… pic.twitter.com/OTCXS8tp42

— Klaveec (@klaveec) October 21, 2025

The woman who delivered the products, entrepreneur Yolanda Peñafiel, has publicly denied any wrongdoing. "My products do not contain poison," she said, defending the quality of her handmade chocolates made from local cacao. "I would never harm anyone."

Mis productos no tienen veneno. La emprendedora Yolanda Peñafiel, de Vinces, fue quien entregó sus productos al presidente Daniel Noboa, los que según la Casa Militar contenían químicos peligrosos. Ella negó esta contaminación y defendió la calidad de sus chocolates elaborados… pic.twitter.com/YaK6SekZuw

— LaHistoria (@lahistoriaec) October 23, 2025

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The military body responsible for the president's protection has filed a formal complaint with prosecutors.

Protests, poison, politics

This marks the second reported attempt on Noboa's life in recent weeks. Earlier this month, his government claimed that his motorcade was attacked when a group of demonstrators threw stones during anti-government protests sparked by soaring fuel prices. Officials said the vehicle was later found with bullet marks, though no shell casings or direct evidence were recovered from the scene. Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo called the incident an "assassination attempt," and Noboa was unharmed.

The protests, led by Conaie, Ecuador's largest Indigenous organization, have continued since September 22, with demonstrators blocking major roads, including those around the capital, Quito, to demand relief from rising living costs.

Some analysts have questioned Noboa's repeated claims of assassination attempts, suggesting they might serve to portray the protesters as violent and bolster his political image. The president, however, rejected such speculation, saying: "No one throws a Molotov cocktail at themselves... or poisons themselves with chocolate, or throws stones at themselves."

Read more: Ecuador indigenous groups decry repression, internet blackouts

Noboa, 37, is preparing for a national referendum on November 16 aimed at approving constitutional reforms to strengthen the government's fight against drug-related crime.

Once regarded as one of Latin America's safest countries, Ecuador has in recent years become a major transit hub for cocaine shipped from neighboring Colombia and Peru to international markets. The surge in drug trafficking has fueled record homicide rates, frequent car bombings, targeted assassinations, and deadly prison riots, leaving the state struggling to maintain order.