Audio By Carbonatix
Ecuador's national electoral council on Sunday declared President Daniel Noboa the winner of the country's presidential race, after he held a steady and unexpectedly wide 12-point lead over leftist Luisa Gonzalez throughout the count.
Gonzalez told chanting supporters she does not accept the results and will demand a recount, calling it "the worst and most grotesque electoral fraud in the history of Ecuador."
With nearly 93% of ballot boxes counted, Noboa had 55.8% of votes, compared to Gonzalez's 44.1%, a difference of more than one million votes.
The results were a sharp contrast to the February first round, where Noboa finished just 16,746 votes ahead of Gonzalez.
"We inform the Ecuadorean people that with more than 90% of the ballot boxes processed nationally, there is an irreversible trend in the second round of voting," Diana Atamaint, the head of the national electoral council, said in a statement to the press. "The winning duo is Daniel Noboa Azin and (vice president-elect) Maria Jose Pinto."
Gonzalez expressed disbelief over the results to chanting supporters in Quito.
"I refuse to believe that a people would prefer lies instead of truth, violence instead of peace and unity," Gonzalez said. "We are going to demand a recount and for them to open ballot boxes."
The candidates and Gonzalez's mentor, former President Rafael Correa, had urged some 90,000 polling-place observers to guard against electoral fraud.
Correa said on social media that the results were "impossible".
Meanwhile, Noboa, a 37-year-old business heir, said in remarks from the beach town of Olon that there was no doubt about his victory as he thanked supporters.
Latest Stories
-
GHIMA reaffirms commitment to secured healthcare data
4 seconds -
John Boadu pays courtesy call on former President Kufuor, seeks guidance on NPP revival
7 minutes -
Emissions Levy had no impact on air pollution, research reveals
1 hour -
DSTV enhanced packages stay in force as subscriptions rise following price adjustments
1 hour -
Financial Stability Advisory Council holds final meeting for 2025
1 hour -
Education in Review: 2025 marks turning point as Mahama resets Ghana’s education sector
2 hours -
Nigeria AG orders fresh probe into alleged intimidation and assault of Sam Jonah’s River Park estate staff
2 hours -
Concerned Small Scale Miners commend GoldBod’s efforts in addressing gold smuggling
2 hours -
Haruna Mohammed claims Ghana Audit Service undermined
2 hours -
5 members of notorious robbery syndicate in Tema, Accra arrested
2 hours -
BoG, SEC and FIC hold Joint sensitisation workshop for Virtual Asset Service Providers
2 hours -
How Nico Cantor became one of the top voices in American soccer
3 hours -
Ghana colorectal cancer patients face low survival rates, KNUST study finds
3 hours -
Police arrest suspect in GH₵ 7.5m daylight robbery at Adabraka
3 hours -
Armwrestling: The Golden Arms’ 2025 Triumph and an Era of Unprecedented Victories
3 hours
