Ecuador has re-elected as president Daniel Noboa, a conservative millionaire known for his tough fight against controversial crime.
His rival, leftist lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, has vowed to demand a recount, saying the election was an “egregious” example of fraud.
Data released by Ecuador's National Electoral Council showed Mr Noboa winning 55.8% of the vote after more than 90% of the ballots had been counted, while Ms González received 44%.
Ecuador's top electoral official, Diana Atamaint, told national television that the results showed an “irreversible trend” in Mr. Noboa's favor.
The success gives Mr Noboa four years to deliver on promises he first made in 2023, when he surprised voters by winning a snap election and remaining president for 16 months despite his limited political experience.
In this South American country, where voting is compulsory, more than 13 million citizens have gained the right to vote.
Ms González's defeat marked the third consecutive time that the party of Rafael Correa, the country's most powerful president this century, has failed to return to power.
Mr Noboa, the heir to a banana fortune, is expected to continue to pursue some of his tough-on-crime policies, which some voters find attractive but which have called into question the rule of law and governance.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
