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| Ecuador leader heads for vote win | Ecuador leader heads for vote win |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Exit polls in Ecuador suggest voters have strongly backed President Rafael Correa's plans for a fundamental overhaul of the political system. | Exit polls in Ecuador suggest voters have strongly backed President Rafael Correa's plans for a fundamental overhaul of the political system. |
| A poll showed 78% support for a people's assembly that would by-pass Congress and rewrite the constitution. | A poll showed 78% support for a people's assembly that would by-pass Congress and rewrite the constitution. |
| Mr Correa says reform of the system is essential but his critics accuse him of being authoritarian. | Mr Correa says reform of the system is essential but his critics accuse him of being authoritarian. |
| Counting is expected to be a long process and official results will not be available for a number of days. | Counting is expected to be a long process and official results will not be available for a number of days. |
| However, the BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Quito says supporters of President Correa were out on the streets just minutes after polling stations closed at 2200 GMT. | |
| He was shown on national television celebrating at a hotel in the country's largest city, Guayaquil. | |
| A CEDATOS-Gallup exit poll of 40,000 voters nationwide showed 78% in favour and 11.5% opposed. | A CEDATOS-Gallup exit poll of 40,000 voters nationwide showed 78% in favour and 11.5% opposed. |
| 'Well prepared' | 'Well prepared' |
| The debate had turned personal with critics of President Correa making accusations of drug-running in his family. | The debate had turned personal with critics of President Correa making accusations of drug-running in his family. |
| Voters in Ecuador give their views on the proposalsIn pictures Mr Correa admitted his father was arrested for carrying drugs into the US 40 years ago. | Voters in Ecuador give their views on the proposalsIn pictures Mr Correa admitted his father was arrested for carrying drugs into the US 40 years ago. |
| But he said: "I lived through this and these people are not delinquents. They are single mothers or unemployed people who are desperate to feed their families." | But he said: "I lived through this and these people are not delinquents. They are single mothers or unemployed people who are desperate to feed their families." |
| Many of his critics have accused him of trying to increase his power and following in the footsteps of President Hugo Chavez who has brought in controversial reforms in Venezuela. | Many of his critics have accused him of trying to increase his power and following in the footsteps of President Hugo Chavez who has brought in controversial reforms in Venezuela. |
| Former Ecuador president Oswaldo Hurtado said of the referendum: "It's not a project for a better democracy. It's a project to accumulate power. All dictators always have had constitutions made to fit them." | Former Ecuador president Oswaldo Hurtado said of the referendum: "It's not a project for a better democracy. It's a project to accumulate power. All dictators always have had constitutions made to fit them." |
| Lawmakers sacked | Lawmakers sacked |
| Mr Correa has not spelt out exactly what he wants from a new constitution but has indicated that Congress, controlled by traditional political parties, should not appoint judges and electoral officials. | Mr Correa has not spelt out exactly what he wants from a new constitution but has indicated that Congress, controlled by traditional political parties, should not appoint judges and electoral officials. |
| The assembly would be elected within three months and have six months to draft the constitution. The document would then be put to a second referendum. | The assembly would be elected within three months and have six months to draft the constitution. The document would then be put to a second referendum. |
| President Correa has said he is confident of victory | President Correa has said he is confident of victory |
| "It will be a constitution that depoliticises the courts and control authorities, decentralises the state," Mr Correa said, adding he would quit and "go home" if there was a "no" vote. | "It will be a constitution that depoliticises the courts and control authorities, decentralises the state," Mr Correa said, adding he would quit and "go home" if there was a "no" vote. |
| Daniel Schweimler says President Correa is taking a bold gamble in a country that has seen eight presidents in the past 10 years. | |
| But our correspondent says the political system in Ecuador is fragile and the president believes only radical measures will win back the people's faith in their politicians. | But our correspondent says the political system in Ecuador is fragile and the president believes only radical measures will win back the people's faith in their politicians. |
| International monitors said the referendum was well prepared. | International monitors said the referendum was well prepared. |
| Ahead of voting, it had sparked a political crisis in the country. | Ahead of voting, it had sparked a political crisis in the country. |
| An electoral court sacked 57 lawmakers in March for trying to block it. | An electoral court sacked 57 lawmakers in March for trying to block it. |
| When the dismissals were ruled illegal, police prevented the legislators returning to their offices and the deputies were kicked and punched by Correa supporters. | When the dismissals were ruled illegal, police prevented the legislators returning to their offices and the deputies were kicked and punched by Correa supporters. |