MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — As a result of the first round of election in Ecuador on February 19, Lenin Moreno, a candidate from the ruling PAIS Alliance party has gained 39.4 percent of votes, while his main rival Guillermo Lasso, a candidate from Ecuador's opposition Creo-Suma alliance has gained 30.5 percent of votes, according to the exit poll.
It is necessary to gain 50 percent of votes in order to win at the first round of the election. The victory at the first round is also possible if a candidate gains 40 percent of votes and gets ahead of the rival by 10 percent.
Earlier in the day, Ecuador’s incumbent leader Rafael Correa has ruled out a presidential election runoff after first-round of the vote.
The frontrunner was Lenin Moreno, former vice-president and member of Correa’s center-left PAIS Alliance party. He was challenged by conservative businessman Guillermo Lasso and Social Christian candidate Cynthia Viteri.
