Center-right candidate Daniel Noboa, the 35-year-old son of a banana tycoon, has been elected as Ecuador’s next president.
More than 10 million people have voted in the presidential election, and data from the National Electoral Council of Ecuador (CNE) shows Noboa obtained 52.3% of the votes (4,829,130).
His main political rival, leftist candidate and first round front-runner Luisa González, obtained 47.7% of votes (4,404,014), the CNE said.
Noboa was a lawmaker before outgoing President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the legislature and called for early elections.
The Acción Democrática Nacional party’s candidate, he has pledged to create more work opportunities for the young, bring in more foreign investment, using technology to fight crime, and has suggested several anti-corruption measures including sentences for tax evasion.
Speaking to reporters after the result, Noboa thanked his wife, parents, and God for allowing him to serve his country.
“I also thank all those people who have been part of a new, young, improbable political project, a political project whose purpose was to give back a smile to the country,” he said.
“Starting tomorrow, Daniel Noboa, your president of the republic, starts working.”
His rival, González of the Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana party, a protégé of former leftist President Rafael Correa, ran on a promise to enhance public spending and social programs and wants to address the security crisis by fixing the root causes of violence, such as poverty and inequality.
González was the frontrunner in the first round of voting.
She conceded to Noboa after the result was announced, saying she would congratulate him on his victory.
“To the candidate now president-elect, we offer deep congratulations because it’s a democracy; we have never called for a city to be set on fire, we have never come out to shout fraud,” she said.
(CNN)