QUITO, Ecuador — The hand-picked candidate of socialist President Rafael Correa was headed to victory in the opening round of Ecuador’s presidential election Sunday, though he looked increasingly unlikely to avoid a runoff against his nearest rival.
With more than 77 percent of polling stations reporting, ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno had almost 39 percent of the votes, compared with just less than 29 percent for former banker Guillermo Lasso, the closest contender among seven opposition candidates. To avoid a runoff, Moreno needed to win a majority of the total vote, or get 40 percent while holding a 10-point lead over his nearest rival.
A count of statistically representative tally sheets nationwide by a respected private group said Moreno would finish on top with 38.8 percent to 28 percent for Lasso, with a 1 point margin of error.
Even before the first vote results, Moreno was quick to declare himself the winner based on inconclusive exit polls and called on Lasso to recognize defeat. He softened his stance while addressing supporters late in the night, but still said that as results came in from consulates overseas and western Manabi province — where the government spent heavily to rebuild from last year’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake — he was confident he would cross the required threshold.
The opposition candidate showed no sign of throwing in the towel as hundreds of Lasso supporters gathered outside the National Electoral Council, saying they would remain there until a runoff was confirmed.
The outcome was being watched closely in Latin America, where conservative leaders in Argentina, Brazil, and Peru have assumed power in the past 18 months after the end of a commodities boom that boosted leftists like Correa.
Outside the region, much of the interest in the election focused on what the outcome might mean for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been living at the Ecuadoran Embassy in London since 2012. Moreno has indicated he would allow Assange to remain while Lasso vowed to evict the Australian activist within 30 days of taking office.
Associated Press
