In Ecuador, the presidential contest moved toward a runoff following the latest results from the Electoral Council
The second round of the early presidential elections in Ecuador is moving closer after more than half of the voting protocols were processed. The tallies show a clear split among voters. Gonzalez, backed by the leftist coalition Internal Revolution and supported by former president Rafael Correa, led in the partial count with 33.25 percent of votes. On the other side, the centre-left National Democratic Movement presented Noboa, the 35-year-old son of a prominent Ecuadorian entrepreneur, who captured 24.15 percent of the vote.
Other candidates, Christian Surita and Jan Topić, acknowledged defeat and indicated they would not challenge the voting results. In this electoral round, the rules required a candidate to secure more than half of the votes to win outright or surpass 40 percent with a lead of at least 10 percentage points over the nearest rival. As neither threshold was met, the country will conduct a runoff on October 15.
Earlier reports noted tampering concerns during the electoral process, though officials indicated there was no damage to the vote count. Security and verification measures remain a prominent focus as the nation prepares for the final stage of the election.
Meanwhile, regional political developments continued to shape discussions about governance and party activity in neighboring areas, with authorities in Afghanistan enforcing a ban on political parties. This broader regional context underscores the importance of stable, verifiable electoral processes across the region.
The event marks a pivotal moment for Ecuador as voters prepare for a decisive head-to-head contest that will determine the next president and potentially steer the country’s policy direction in the coming years. The electorate is closely watching how the two leading candidates translate coalition support, economic promises, and reform plans into a clear path forward for Ecuador’s future.