Ecuador Election has International Implications

miamiherald.com/Jim Wyss reported the vote is amplified here because it marks the first time in a decade that President Rafael Correa, a charismatic populist, is not in the running. Instead, his one-time vice president, Moreno, a businessman and advocate for the disabled, is leading the charge.

If Moreno wins at least 40 percent of the vote with a 10-point lead over his nearest rival the race is over. If he doesn’t, he’ll have to face the runner-up — and a unified opposition — in an April 2 vote that analysts have said will be difficult for him to clench.

Final polls were released Feb. 8, but all of them predicted a runoff was likely. A poll by the closely-watched firm Cedatos found Moreno had 32 percent of the vote versus Lasso’s 21 percent. Former Congresswoman Cynthia Viteri and former Quito Mayor Paco Moncayo had 14 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Even so, a large portion of the electorate remained undecided, casting a pall over the results. Read Article

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