Around midnight, Quito time, the candidate of the Citizen Revolution, Andrés Arauz and the candidate of Pachakutik, Yaku Pérez, were leading the presidential elections that took place on Sunday, February 7. A 30.90% for Arauz and a 20.98% for Pérez leave Guillermo Lasso, candidate of the right, out of the electoral contest and the country would go to presidential votes in the second round in April. It would no longer be in a definition between right and right, left or right and progressivism, but between two political tendencies situated to the left but with two different country projects.
However, the difference between Pérez and Lasso is two points and, according to the statements of Diana Atamaint, president of the National Electoral Council, the margin of error of the quick count is 1%, which at the moment does not fully ensure which candidate will enter to contest the presidency with Andrés Arauz who, for his part, in weighted statements, has called on his supporters to await the final results and all political forces for national unity.
80% of the population who registered to vote went to the polls to elect, not only the presidency and vice-presidency but also Andean assembly members and parliamentarians. At the moment, the Pachakutik Movement, led by Yaku Pérez, reaches more than 30% of national assembly members, which could mean the first political force in the legislative branch.
The final results will be known in a few more hours.
People lining up to vote and keeping their distance.
Translation by Lulith V, from the voluntary Pressenza translation team. We are looking for volunteers!
