MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Incumbent candidate leading in Ecuador election but run off seems inevitable

With more than three-quarters of the votes counted, Moreno had 39% of the vote, about 10 percentage points ahead of runner-up Guillermo Lasso

Former Vice President Lenin Moreno, a leftist advocate for the disabled who was paralyzed in a 1998 robbery attempt, was leading in Ecuador’s presidential election Sunday, but was at risk of falling just short of avoiding a runoff on April 2. Moreno, 63, is the close ally of outgoing President Rafael Correa, under whom he served as vice president from 2007 to 2013.

 With more than three-quarters of the votes counted, Moreno had 39% of the vote, about 10 percentage points ahead of second-place finisher Guillermo Lasso, a pro-business bank executive. The two led a field of eight candidates.

To avoid a runoff, Moreno, who has spent the last three years as a special United Nations advocate for the disabled, needed either 50% plus one of all votes cast, or 40% if he finished at least 10 percentage points ahead of the next highest vote-getter.

Right-of-center congresswoman Cynthia Viteri, 51, was running in third place with about 16%.

As vice president, Moreno oversaw a program that brought financial and medical aid to 300,000 disabled Ecuadoreans.

Correa was elected three times and has served as president for more than 10 years, earning widespread support among the poor and intellectuals for policies aiding the impoverished. But a stagnant economy, widespread corruption, running battles with the press and an autocratic governing style recently have distanced many Ecuadoreans from their leader. A majority now believe he is untrustworthy.

Although Moreno has promised to continue Correa’s policies, he has said that, if elected, he will be a more conciliatory leader and be less antagonistic to the press.

“This is a clear and unquestionable victory for the Citizen Revolution,” Moreno said during a brief news conference after polls closed, a reference to Correa’s socialist agenda. He added that Correa has governed with “dignity and transparency.” He invited the opposition to join with him to achieve “great national objectives.”