Ecuador's presidential election has failed to determine a winner in the first round after 80% of the votes have been counted. The country is likely to hold a second round of voting, The Associated Press reports. With 80% of the ballots counted, incumbent conservative Daniel Noboa has 44.43% of the vote, while leftist Luisa Gonzalez has 44.17%.
Thus, they will likely advance to the second round, scheduled for April 13. About 13.7 million voters were eligible to vote. Turnout in the first round exceeded 83%. 16 candidates participated in the first round.
The main campaign promise of all of them was to fight crime and drug trafficking. AP recalls that Noboa inherited the family fortune earned from the banana trade. He worked for his father's company Noboa Corp, engaged in maritime transportation, logistics and trade. In 2021. became a member of the National Assembly, where he headed the economic development committee. And Gonzalez is considered a protégé of former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa (in office from 2007 to 2017).
He worked in the state apparatus during Correa's reign, holding various positions. He was a deputy from 2021 to May 2023.
