
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
-
Health Ministry warns nursing training college heads over admission quotas, timeline breaches
2 hours -
Laws won’t stop abuse if homes keep raising boys to dominate women — Zuwera Ibrahimah
3 hours -
Special police team to investigate killing of an anti-migrant leader in South Africa
3 hours -
New monkey species with orange lips found ‘hiding’ in DRC forest
3 hours -
One dead and three missing after boat sinks near Alcatraz
3 hours -
Trump sanctions on ICC violate free speech, says lawsuit
3 hours -
More people around the world now favour China over the US, Pew study suggests
4 hours -
US military to start testosterone testing, Hegseth says
4 hours -
Parliaments must prioritise gender-responsive budgets to fight violence against women and girls – Kenyan advocate
4 hours -
Don’t blame only EOCO officers; hold their political bosses accountable – Osae-Kwapong
4 hours -
Ghana must end the cycle where every high-profile investigation becomes political – CDD Fellow
4 hours -
Argentina face fine for Falklands banner in semi-final win
4 hours -
Ghana-Russia trade hits $800m as Moscow seeks deeper economic partnership
5 hours -
Man jailed for spending ex-girlfriend’s GH¢114,000 loan on betting
5 hours -
West African women parliamentarians push for stronger action against gender-based violence
5 hours