Ecuador opposition alleges poll fraud; calls for recount

The opposition candidate in Ecuador presidential election pointed at poll irregularities and called for a recount after early results showed ruling party candidate, Lenin Moreno, set for a tight victory on Sunday. Challenger Guillermo Lasso urged his supporters to come out on streets to “peacefully defend the vote and will of the people.”

Earlier, three exit polls projected Lasso as a clear winner, handing him a handsome lead of about six points, notes The Guardian. Lasso’s supporters flocked to the electoral council headquarters, raising slogan: “We don’t want fraud, we want democracy.”

Moreno’s apparent victory comes as a big reprieve for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as Lasso had vowed to evict the whistleblower within 30 days if he came to power, writes the BBC.