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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Ecuador votes to decide president | Ecuador votes to decide president |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Ecuador goes to the polls to elect a new president on Sunday, in a tight run-off vote with the two candidates running neck-and-neck. | Ecuador goes to the polls to elect a new president on Sunday, in a tight run-off vote with the two candidates running neck-and-neck. |
| Opinion polls suggest left-wing Rafael Correa and conservative Alvaro Noboa are both attracting equal support. | Opinion polls suggest left-wing Rafael Correa and conservative Alvaro Noboa are both attracting equal support. |
| International observers have urged both candidates to be restrained when early results start to come in. | International observers have urged both candidates to be restrained when early results start to come in. |
| The Organisation of American States wants all results to be officially counted before a victor is proclaimed. | The Organisation of American States wants all results to be officially counted before a victor is proclaimed. |
| Both candidates have promised to create jobs and fight poverty and corruption. | Both candidates have promised to create jobs and fight poverty and corruption. |
| Mr Correa has gained a slight edge over Mr Noboa in opinion polls but the large number of undecided voters make the victor uncertain. | Mr Correa has gained a slight edge over Mr Noboa in opinion polls but the large number of undecided voters make the victor uncertain. |
| Insults traded | Insults traded |
| Ecuador is in a delicate state, says the BBC's correspondent Daniel Schweimler in Ecuador's capital Quito. | Ecuador is in a delicate state, says the BBC's correspondent Daniel Schweimler in Ecuador's capital Quito. |
| The country is becoming increasingly polarised, says our correspondent, people are disillusioned with its politicians and are impatient for change. | The country is becoming increasingly polarised, says our correspondent, people are disillusioned with its politicians and are impatient for change. |
| Three presidents in the past 10 years have been forced from office by angry crowds. | |
| Only three presidents since 1979 have served full terms. | Only three presidents since 1979 have served full terms. |
| The election has been marred by allegations of fraudIn October's first-round vote, Mr Correa said the count was fraudulent and that he had won a clear victory. | The election has been marred by allegations of fraudIn October's first-round vote, Mr Correa said the count was fraudulent and that he had won a clear victory. |
| Mr Noboa, Ecuador's richest man, said Mr Correa's campaign had been financed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. | Mr Noboa, Ecuador's richest man, said Mr Correa's campaign had been financed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. |
| "Correa wants an insurrection, a civil war in which the poor will die," said Mr Noboa. | "Correa wants an insurrection, a civil war in which the poor will die," said Mr Noboa. |
| He has already made two unsuccessful runs for the presidency, in 1998 and 2002. | He has already made two unsuccessful runs for the presidency, in 1998 and 2002. |
| He has accused his opponent of wanting to install a communist dictatorship and drive Ecuador into the camp of Venezuela's anti-American President Chavez. | He has accused his opponent of wanting to install a communist dictatorship and drive Ecuador into the camp of Venezuela's anti-American President Chavez. |
| Mr Noboa made his fortune in bananas and has promised to bring foreign investment to Ecuador. He frequently campaigned carrying a bible. | Mr Noboa made his fortune in bananas and has promised to bring foreign investment to Ecuador. He frequently campaigned carrying a bible. |
| Mr Correa has said he would maintain good relations with the United States despite having called President George W Bush a "dimwit". | Mr Correa has said he would maintain good relations with the United States despite having called President George W Bush a "dimwit". |
| He has said he wants to renegotiate contracts with foreign oil companies and has threatened to reduce payments on Ecuador's foreign debt. | He has said he wants to renegotiate contracts with foreign oil companies and has threatened to reduce payments on Ecuador's foreign debt. |
| At his final rally, Mr Correa urged his supporters to follow the vehicles transporting ballot boxes to make sure votes were not tampered with. | At his final rally, Mr Correa urged his supporters to follow the vehicles transporting ballot boxes to make sure votes were not tampered with. |
| "Watch out for alterations of results, ballot box switching; ensure there is no vote-buying." | "Watch out for alterations of results, ballot box switching; ensure there is no vote-buying." |
| An election win for Mr Noboa, he warned, would turn Ecuador into the banana magnate's "estate". | An election win for Mr Noboa, he warned, would turn Ecuador into the banana magnate's "estate". |