Quito - Lenin Moreno, candidate for the ruling PAIS Alliance and co-leader of the Citizens'' Revolution in Ecuador as Vice President of Rafael Correa, won Sunday the presidential ballotage and will be this country''s new president till 2021.
According to the latest report of the National Electoral Council (NEC), Moreno had an irreversible lead of 51,07% against 48,93% of banker Guillermo Lasso, of the coalition CREO-SUMA.
After thanking the millions of Ecuadorians that voted for him, Moreno called all the Ecuadorian people to work together for the nation's development, and asserted that his government will make the best effort to effectively implement policies to make the country develop and guarantee social welfare for all.
'Quality in our services will be the priority of our government. Ecuador will not be the same as before. The campaign was hard, but from now on we have to work for the country; we all ought to work for our beloved, dear and historical Ecuador. We'll preserve peace, tolerance and respect among citizens', the president-elect said.
'Big news for the Great Latin American Homeland: Revolution has won again in Ecuador,' outgoing President Rafael Correa wrote in Twitter immediately after Lenin's winning trend was confirmed. 'The right has been defeated despite its millions (of dollars9 and its media', he stressed.
Congratulatory messages by Heads of State and former leaders of Latin America began pouring into PAIS Allience headquarters. The first to voice their salutations were the presidents of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro; of Bolivia, Evo Morales, and the former president of Argentina Cristina Fernandez.
The National Electoral Council (NEC) reported that 74,82% of the electorate turned out to vote.
Following the release of the first official report asserting Moreno was leading the vote, the loser candidate Lasso said he would impugned the results and demand a recount. He refuses to accept defeat.
Spurred by right-wing leaders groups of opponents violently attempted to break into the NEC's headquarters in downtown Quito, attacked police officers who were guarding the place and caused violent disorders around the electoral institution.
