Ecuador's president says he was target of attempted poisoning

Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa said Thursday that an unknown assailant had attempted to poison him with chocolate and a jam laced with chemicals, gifted to him at a public event, Report informs via AFP.

Noboa told CNN the presence of three "highly concentrated" toxic substances in the sweets "could not have been accidental," saying his team had proof to back up his claims.

The 37-year-old president said the toxic substances could not have come from the products themselves or their packaging.

The military body responsible for his security detail had filed a complaint with prosecutors.

It is the second time that Noboa's administration has alleged an attempt on his life, amid Indigenous anti-government protests and spiraling crime.