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Ecuador set for run-off election Ecuador set for run-off election
(about 4 hours later)
The richest man in Ecuador is to face a leftist in a run-off next month after the first round of the presidential election, exit polls suggest. The richest man in Ecuador is to face a leftist in a run-off next month after the first round of the presidential election, partial results make clear.
Alvaro Noboa won slightly more of the vote than Rafael Correa, a leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the polls indicate. Banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa won slightly more of the vote than Rafael Correa, a left-wing ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The outgoing President, Alfredo Palacio, described the election as a festival of democracy.The outgoing President, Alfredo Palacio, described the election as a festival of democracy.
Ecuador is to have its eighth leader in 10 years of political turbulence. Ecuador is electing its eighth leader in a decade of political turbulence.
According to the exit polls, Mr Noboa had a lead of one to two points over Correa, with neither managing to score more than 28% in the 13-candidate race. The partial results show Mr Noboa with a lead of one to two points over Mr Correa, with neither managing to score more than 28% in the 13-candidate race.
The two are now heading for a second round on 26 November. The second round will be held on 26 November.
Close raceClose race
Earlier, Mr Correa, 43, was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd as he cast his ballot at a college in Quito. It looks like being the result most analysts in Ecuador had predicted, the BBC's Daniel Schweimler reports from Quito, but Mr Correa, a 43-year-old economist, was quick to claim fraud and that he had won an outright victory.
Mr Correa has vowed to challenge the political establishmentMr Correa has vowed to challenge the political establishment
He complained of irregularities in the voting, but the head of the Organisation of American States' electoral observers said the campaigning and organisation of the elections had generally been without incident. He said attempts had been made to bribe his party workers in some areas and that he would be making a formal complaint.
Outsiders are closely observing a ballot which could tip the balance of power in Latin America in favour of the leftist, anti-American politics of Mr Chavez and Bolivia's Evo Morales. Alvaro Noboa, who at 55 is trying for the third time to become president, said he was pleased with the result and looked forward to the second round.
Mr Correa has promised to ban free trade pacts with the US, rewrite the constitution to strengthen presidential powers and achieve a "citizen's revolution". The two men could not be more different, our correspondent notes.
Mr Noboa, 55, is a pro-US billionaire who has promised to build houses and create jobs to carry Ecuador's poor into the middle class. Mr Noboa inherited his father's banana empire and enjoys much of his support in Ecuador's financial centre, the coastal city of Guayaquil.
He has condemned Mr Correa as a communist during campaign rallies. Mr Correa is a friend of Mr Chavez and he has said he would oppose a planned free trade deal with the US.
He is making his third attempt on the presidency and has promised to bolster free markets and sign a free trade deal with the US. He enjoys the bulk of his support in Quito.
Driven from power Many people in Ecuador are already disillusioned with their politicians, our correspondent says.
Voting was obligatory, which was probably just as well, says the BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Quito, as many voters say they are tired of their politicians. The fight between Rafael Correa and Alvaro Noboa may not be a pretty one and is unlikely to restore much faith in the country's politicians, he adds.
ECUADOR VOTES Polling day 15 OctRun-off 26 NovVoting is obligatory9.2 million registered voters13 candidates Ecuadoreans drove their last three elected presidents from power and only three since 1979 have succeeded in serving full terms.
Thousands threatened to spoil their ballot papers in protest at years of corruption and mismanagement.
Ecuador enjoys huge oil and banana wealth but half the population lives around the poverty line and unemployment is high.
Ecuadoreans have driven their last three elected presidents from power and only three since 1979 have succeeded in serving full terms.
There is not much evidence that whoever wins this election will fare much better, our correspondent says.