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Ecuador votes for new president Ecuador president claims poll win
(9 minutes later)
Ecuadoreans are voting to choose a new president, with the incumbent, Rafael Correa, likely to be re-elected. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has claimed victory in the country's election after two exit polls indicated he had more than 50% of the vote.
Opinion polls have suggested Mr Correa enjoys a decisive lead over his main rivals, ex-President Lucio Gutierrez, and banana mogul Alvaro Noboa. The polls suggest the leftist Mr Correa has a decisive lead over his main rivals, ex-President Lucio Gutierrez and banana mogul Alvaro Noboa.
This has led observers to wonder whether Mr Correa could gain enough votes to avert a second-round run-off, says the BBC's James Painter. The results, if confirmed, mean Mr Correa will not need to face a run-off to take his second term in office.
But his opponents have accused him of strong-arm tactics to retain power. His opponents have accused him of strong-arm tactics to retain power.
Polls opened at 0700 (1200 GMT), with some 10 million of Ecuador's population of 17 million entitled to vote. Mr Correa had been widely expected to win the vote, which he had called under a new constitution designed to reform Ecuador's political institutions.
In addition to selecting the president, voters are electing members of the National Assembly and regional and municipal offices. Mr Correa said the country had "made history".
New constitution "This revolution is on the march, and nobody and nothing can stop us," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying after the exit polls were released.
If elected, Mr Correa will be able to add a new four-year term to the two years he has already served. The exit polls indicate Mr Correa won at least 54% of the vote. Mr Gutierrez took 28% while Mr Noboa got 10.2%, the Cedatos-Gallup polling group said.
In that time, he has won a following through massively increasing social spending, talking tough to the foreign investors and multinationals many Ecuadoreans feel are exploitative, and providing firm leadership in a country frequently previously characterised by political instability, our correspondent says. Mr Gutierrez said he would wait until the official results were released before accepting Mr Correa's victory.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/6187364.stm">Profile: Ecuador's Rafael Correa If Mr Correa's victory is officially confirmed, Ecuador will avoid a second-round run-off vote for the first time in 30 years.
In addition to selecting the president, voters elected members of the National Assembly and regional and municipal offices.
'Tyrant'
Mr Correa first came to office in January 2007.
During his first term in office, he won a following through massively increasing social spending and talking tough to the foreign investors and multinationals many Ecuadoreans feel are exploiting their country.
Ecuador's new constitution gives prison inmates the vote
He has also provided firm leadership in a country that in the past has been characterised by political instability, says the BBC's Latin America analyst, James Painter.
"Ecuadoreans will decide between a past of looting and injustice or a much more beautiful future of change," he told thousands of supporters at his closing campaign rally, according to Reuters news agency."Ecuadoreans will decide between a past of looting and injustice or a much more beautiful future of change," he told thousands of supporters at his closing campaign rally, according to Reuters news agency.
But his opponents accuse him of riding roughshod over the country's democratic institutions by backing the adoption of a new constitution in a popular vote last September, says our correspondent. But his opponents accuse him of riding roughshod over the country's democratic institutions by backing the adoption of a new constitution in a popular vote last September, says our analyst.
Among other things, the constitution allowed Mr Correa to run for re-election, and increased state controls on private industry and land. Among other things, the constitution increased state controls on private industry and land and allowed Mr Correa to run for re-election.
It also gave 16-year-olds, prison inmates, police and soldiers the vote.It also gave 16-year-olds, prison inmates, police and soldiers the vote.
"You are bowing your head to a tyrant, and I am not going to allow that, I want to return dignity and pride to Ecuador," said Mr Noboa at his closing rally, Reuters reported."You are bowing your head to a tyrant, and I am not going to allow that, I want to return dignity and pride to Ecuador," said Mr Noboa at his closing rally, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Mr Gutierrez accused Mr Correa of repelling foreign investors.Meanwhile, Mr Gutierrez accused Mr Correa of repelling foreign investors.
Tough outlookTough outlook
Mr Correa need 50% of the vote - or 40% with a 10-percentage-point minimum lead over his closest rival - to avoid a second-round run-off vote for the first time in 30 years. If his victory is confirmed, he will face a very difficult economic context, says our correspondent.
However, if he wins, he will face a very difficult economic context, says our correspondent.
Ecuador is a member of Opec, and oil accounts for more than 60% of its exports.Ecuador is a member of Opec, and oil accounts for more than 60% of its exports.
If oil prices remain low, Mr Correa would have much less money to spend on social programmes.If oil prices remain low, Mr Correa would have much less money to spend on social programmes.
If so, Mr Correa's decision to default on billions of dollars of debt he termed "illegal" last year could make it more difficult for him to borrow money to cover the gap, our correspondent says.If so, Mr Correa's decision to default on billions of dollars of debt he termed "illegal" last year could make it more difficult for him to borrow money to cover the gap, our correspondent says.