Leftist Rafael Correa is set for victory in the second round of Ecuadors presidential elections on Sunday, BBC Online reports Monday afternoon.
With nearly two-thirds of votes counted, Mr Correa had almost 63 per cent of the vote while his wealthy conservative rival Alvaro Noboa polled about 38 per cent.
Mr Correa promised radical change – he opposes a free trade deal with the US and has promised to close a United States military base in Ecuador.
Ecuador has seen much political turmoil in recent years with seven presidents in the last decade. The last three elected presidents were overthrown and only three since 1979 have succeeded in serving full terms.
Mr Correa said, he will try to rejoin the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) which Ecuador left in 1992.
Alvaro Noboa has said he will ask for a recount if necessary. Before voting, he had gone down on his knees, Bible in hand, and asked God for support.
The billionaire banana tycoon, Ecuadors richest man, had campaigned promising to attract foreign investment to Ecuador. He frequently carried a Bible.
An economic aide to Mr Correa said he would not pay some of Ecuador’s “illegitimate” foreign debt and would not sign a free trade agreement with the United States, Reuters said.
While campaigning, Mr Correa said he wanted to renegotiate contracts with foreign oil companies. Mr Correa is close to Venezuela’s anti-American President Hugo Chavez and has called US President George W Bush a “dimwit” (fjols), BBC adds.
