This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-39039165

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ecuador presidential poll: Tension as results are delayed Ecuador presidential poll: Tension as results are delayed
(about 9 hours later)
Ecuadoreans are growing impatient at the slow pace of vote counting with the results of the presidential poll delayed until Wednesday or Thursday.Ecuadoreans are growing impatient at the slow pace of vote counting with the results of the presidential poll delayed until Wednesday or Thursday.
It is still not clear whether there will be a second round or if governing party candidate Lenin Moreno will gain the 40% of the votes needed to win outright in the first round.It is still not clear whether there will be a second round or if governing party candidate Lenin Moreno will gain the 40% of the votes needed to win outright in the first round.
With 92% of the votes counted, he fell just short with 39.08%. With 95% of the votes counted, he fell just short with 39.23%.
His closest rival, Guillermo Lasso, said the delays "did not smell right".His closest rival, Guillermo Lasso, said the delays "did not smell right".
Mr Lasso is trailing more than 10 percentage points behind Mr Moreno but is confident he could beat him in a second round in which opposition supporters are likely to unite behind him.Mr Lasso is trailing more than 10 percentage points behind Mr Moreno but is confident he could beat him in a second round in which opposition supporters are likely to unite behind him.
National Electoral Council President Juan Pablo Pozo said there was a "marked trend" and that a run-off looked "inevitable" with only 5% of votes still to be counted.
But he called on Ecuadoreans to "wait for the results with calm".
He assured Ecuadoreans that "not one vote will be stolen from anyone".
The contendersThe contenders
Lenin Moreno:Lenin Moreno:
Guillermo Lasso:Guillermo Lasso:
Third-placed candidate Cynthia Viteri has already said she would throw her weight behind Mr Lasso in a run-off.Third-placed candidate Cynthia Viteri has already said she would throw her weight behind Mr Lasso in a run-off.
"How can they take three days to count 12%?" Mr Lasso asked referring to the unprecedented slow pace at which the last remaining votes were trickling in. "How can they take three days to count 12%?" Mr Lasso asked referring to the unprecedented slow pace at which the last remaining votes were trickling in.
In previous elections, official results were announced on the night of the election.In previous elections, official results were announced on the night of the election.
National Electoral Council President Juan Pablo Pozo called on Ecuadoreans to "wait for the results with calm".
"There are very tight margins to establish whether there will be a second round or not," he said.
He blamed the delay on "numerical inconsistencies" in 5.5% of the ballots, while he said others were missing signatures from polling station officials.
But he assured Ecuadoreans that "not one vote will be stolen from anyone".
'Revolutionary for life''Revolutionary for life'
Supporters of Mr Lasso, some of whom gathered outside the National Electoral Council on Monday, were not convinced.Supporters of Mr Lasso, some of whom gathered outside the National Electoral Council on Monday, were not convinced.
"It seems like democracy in this country has disappeared and this government does whatever it likes with our vote," Mateo Mendez told Reuters news agency."It seems like democracy in this country has disappeared and this government does whatever it likes with our vote," Mateo Mendez told Reuters news agency.
"It's very strange that here in the 21st Century the results aren't known the same day as the election," Mr Lasso said while calling on his supporters to stay mobilised."It's very strange that here in the 21st Century the results aren't known the same day as the election," Mr Lasso said while calling on his supporters to stay mobilised.
Mr Moreno was critical of Mr Lasso's call for Ecuadoreans to take to the streets if there was no second round.Mr Moreno was critical of Mr Lasso's call for Ecuadoreans to take to the streets if there was no second round.
"It's striking to me that there is a loser politician out there calling for violence,'' he said."It's striking to me that there is a loser politician out there calling for violence,'' he said.
Mr Moreno has said that while he is confident he will gain enough votes to stave off a second round, he is ready to carry on fighting.Mr Moreno has said that while he is confident he will gain enough votes to stave off a second round, he is ready to carry on fighting.
"A revolutionary is a revolutionary for life," he tweeted [in Spanish]."A revolutionary is a revolutionary for life," he tweeted [in Spanish].