Ecuador Right-Wing Opposition Carries Out Threats of Violence

The right-wing campaign of Guillermo Lasso made good on threats leveled before the first vote was even cast in Ecuador's presidential election, when opposition supporters carried out a violent attack, breaking down police barricades at the National Electoral Council headquarters in the capital of Quito.

RELATED:
Ecuador's Lenin Moreno Defeats Banker in Presidential Election

The CNE announced Sunday night that with 96 percent of the official vote counted, Alianza Pais candidate Lenin Moreno defeated former banker Lasso with 51.12 percent to 48.88 percent.

In Guayaquil, CREO sympathizers attacked Marcos Pin, a photojournalist with the API news agency, leaving him with a bloody nose, according to El Telegrafo.

According to President Rafael Correa, there have been episodes of right-wing violence not only in Quito but also in Esmeraldas, Ibarra and Azogues, accusing the opposition of trying to get by force what they could not achieve through the ballot box in a tweet.

In what came as no surprise to election analysts, Lasso said there had been fraud in the election process in a press conference from Guayaquil, threatening the head of state, "Don't play with fire, President Correa."

As in the first round of national elections, CREO vice presidential candidate Andres Paez has called on Lasso supporters to take to the streets, attacking the president of the National Electoral Council. In a move many saw as an incitement to riot, the losing Paez tweeted that he was heading to the CNE headquarters.

RELATED:
Ecuador’s Tax Evading Oligarchs Try to Reconquer the Nation

After the first round of voting on Feb. 19, right-wing forces — led by Paez — protested in front of the same headquarters, threatening violence if leftist Moreno were to win.

Eventually, Lenin fell .07 percent short of winning in the first round, which led to Sunday's second and decisive round.

With absolutely no evidence, Lasso's campaign said throughout the second round that if Lenin were to win it would be based on electoral fraud.

Despite the CNE and international observers reiterating that the national elections had been carried out with only minor problems and in complete transparency, the Lasso forces have called for a recount, refusing to accept their defeat.