Leading candidates closely tied in Ecuador polls

An official recount of Ecuador's presidential election from Sunday, showed that the two leading candidates -- leftist Rafael Correa and the right-wing candidate Alvaro Noboa -- were closely tied, with nearly 60 percent of the votes already counted.

The recount, published on Tuesday afternoon by the country's Supreme Electoral Tribunal, gave Correa of the National Alliance Movement (PAiS) 25.09 percent, while Noboa of the Renewed National Institutional Action Party (Prian) received 25.08 percent.

The tribunal's spokesman, Patricio Torres, said that the full official result could well be published by Wednesday, and results for the Andean Parliament and local deputies should be released by Thursday.

Apart from the two front-runners, Leon Roldos of the Ethical Democratic Network and Democratic Left coalition won 15.82 percent; Gilmar Gutierrez of the Patriotic Society Party won 15.47 percent; and the Christian Socialist candidate, Cynthia Viteri won 9.6 percent.

The other eight candidates won less than 3 percent each.

Source: Xinhua