MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — According to Pozo, with 51.8 percent of the ballots counted, Moreno received 38.26 percent of votes, while his main rival Guillermo Lasso, a candidate from Ecuador's opposition Creo-Suma alliance, received 29.86 percent of votes.
"At the moment, we can say that there will be the second round," Pozo said.
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.
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.
The second round of the presidential election in Ecuador is expected to take place on April 2.
Never miss a story again — sign up to our Telegram channel and we'll keep you up to speed!
