Skip to main content
Donate to the 95 years appeal
Ecuador: ‘Loser’ rightwinger cries foul and urges insurrection

ECUADOR’S conservative presidential hopeful Guillermo Lasso claimed ballot fraud and urged insurrection on Monday night ahead of any result.

The Creating Opportunities (Creo/I Believe) candidate seized on the unprecedented delay as counting in Sunday’s presidential vote continued into yesterday.

With 92 per cent of polling stations declared on Monday night, ruling left-wing Pais Alliance candidate Lenin Moreno led comfortably with 39 per cent of the vote.

That put him 11 points ahead of his closest rival Mr Lasso and tantalisingly close to the 40 per cent threshold to avoid a run-off election between the two.

Later police cordoned off the area around the Pais Alliance headquarters in the capital after receiving a bomb threat, Telesur’s correspondent reported.

Mr Lasso claimed victory and urged supporters to stay mobilised.

He warned the CNE: “Don’t mess with the will of the Ecuadorian people,” vowing: “We will take to the streets and the government will need to take responsibility.”

Mr Lasso called CNE president Juan Pablo Pozo’s announcement that full results would be available in three days a shameless attempt to “get their hands” on the ballots.

“He only responds to the interests of his boss” — by implication the outgoing leftwing president, Rafael Correa.

Mr Lasso said he had called several regional presidents and Organisation of American States (OAS) secretary-general Luis Almagro in protest.

But election observers from the OAS and regional bloc Unasur had already declared the election transparent.

“It’s striking to me that there is a loser politician out there calling for violence,” Mr Moreno said on Monday night.

“This can’t be tolerated. We’re a nation of peace and we want to continue that way.”

The army said it would ensure “the will of the people is guaranteed 100 per cent” but demanded “transparent electoral scrutiny for the good of the peaceful coexistence of the homeland.”

Defence Minister Fernando Cordero issued a brief statement clarifying the armed forces would “guarantee security in the electoral process.”

He emphatically rejected “false rumours” implicating the military in destabilisation attempts.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
A Turkish missile is fired at Kurdish forces in Afrin
World / 9 February 2018
9 February 2018
United States / 9 February 2018
9 February 2018
South America / 9 February 2018
9 February 2018
South Africa / 8 February 2018
8 February 2018
Similar stories
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa and his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi, acknowledge supporters from the balcony of the presidential palace after his swearing-in ceremony for a second term in Quito, Ecuador, May 24, 2025
Latin America / 29 May 2025
29 May 2025

Noboa’s second term looks set to deepen his neoliberal policies: reduced public investment, privatization, cuts to social programmes, and militarisation, says  PILAR TROYA FERNANDEZ

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, his wife Lavinia Valbonesi
Features / 18 April 2025
18 April 2025

Ecuador’s election wasn’t free — and its people will pay the price under President Noboa