Ecuador will be holding a presidential runoff in October.
Ecuadorian voters went to the polls on Sunday, with the results showing that leftist candidate Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker and businessman Daniel Noboa will face off in a runoff election in October.
With 85% of the votes counted, Gonzalez, an ally of exiled former president Rafael Correa, is leading the race with 33% of the votes. Noboa is in second place with 24% of the votes.
The two candidates will now face off in a runoff election on October 15, with the winner becoming the next president of Ecuador.
The election was held amid a climate of violence and insecurity in the country. In August, presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated, and there have been concerns about the possibility of voter intimidation.
Despite these challenges, turnout was high, with the electoral authority reporting that at least 82% of Ecuadorians went out to vote.
The runoff election is expected to be a close race, with Gonzalez and Noboa representing two very different visions for the future of the country.
Gonzalez is a former lawmaker who is backed by Correa, a popular former president who was forced to flee the country in 2017. She has promised to revive Correa's social programs and fight corruption.
Noboa is a wealthy businessman who is running as an independent candidate. He has promised to create jobs and reduce crime.
The winner of the runoff election will govern for the remaining 18 months of President Guillermo Lasso's term.
Key Takeaways
- Ecuadorian voters will hold a runoff election in October to determine the next president of the country.
- The two candidates in the runoff are leftist Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker and businessman Daniel Noboa.
- The election is being held amid a climate of violence and insecurity in Ecuador.
- Turnout was high, with the electoral authority reporting that at least 82% of Ecuadorians went out to vote.
- The runoff election is expected to be a close race, with Gonzalez and Noboa representing two very different visions for the future of Ecuador.