The suspense remains for the presidential election in Ecuador. There will be a partial recount of the ballots following the request of the two candidates to fight for a place in the second round, announced, Friday February 12, the electoral authority.
The former right-wing banker Guillermo Lasso and the left-wing indigenous leader Yaku Perez are neck and neck to access the second round and face Andres Arauz, runner-up to former Socialist President Rafael Correa (2007-2017 ). The second round, scheduled for April 11, will nominate the successor to Lenin Moreno, an unpopular president, whose four-year term expires on May 24.
“100% of the votes of the province of Guayas”, the one with the most voters in the country, and “50% of the votes from sixteen provinces” will be “Revised”, said the president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Diana Atamaint, during a press conference in Quito. “Once the review process is complete, the final results will be announced. “
The CNE’s decision comes after 99.99% of the votes were cast. Only 0.31% of the vote should be examined for inconsistencies, such as the lack of signatures from members of polling stations.
A recount hailed by international observers
Yaku Perez, a 51-year-old environmental lawyer, who denounces manipulation of votes to prevent his presence in the second round, is at 19.38% of the vote, after being overtaken on Wednesday by the conservative Guillermo Lasso, 65, credited with 19.74%. They are preceded by Andrés Arauz (32.7%).
MM. Perez and Lasso had agreed earlier Friday to ask for a new vote count in the twenty-four provinces. The two men pledged to respect the revised results which will be announced by the CNE and also to maintain their common opposition to Correism, the policy of former President Correa, who lives in exile in Belgium and supports Mr. Arauz.
The observer mission sent by the Organization of American States (OAS) welcomed the recount decision taken by the National Electoral Council. Gerardo de Icaza, member of the mission, expressed “His recognition” at CNE “For having listened to the parties and having received them” in order to provide “The necessary and essential guarantees of certainty and transparency”.
Mr. Perez, a candidate for Pachakutik, the political arm of the indigenous movement, said the recount would begin on Sunday in the coastal province of Guayas in southwest Ecuador. For his part, Mr. Lasso, who is running for the third time in the presidential election, hoped that the recount “Be carried out quickly in each province, so that it ends as soon as possible”. He insisted that it take place in peace.
Protests planned in favor of Yaku Perez
The indigenous and left-wing associations have held, since the first round, peaceful gatherings in front of the headquarters of the electoral authorities in Quito and Guayaquil, the large port on the Pacific coast, capital of the province of Guayas. They announced new protests in favor of Yaku Perez.
“The natives are about to rise up, block the streets and deploy in Quito”, warned Mr. Perez on Friday. “We ask them to be calm, to have patience” and accept that it is necessary ” a bit more time “ before having the final results of the first round.
