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Incumbent President Daniel Noboa claimed a runaway victory in Ecuador’s presidential election on Sunday, after voters endorsed the young leader’s “iron fist” approach to rampant cartel violence.
With over 90 percent of the votes counted, the National Election Council said Noboa had an unassailable 12-point lead over his leftist rival Luisa Gonzalez.
Official results showed Noboa with 56 percent of the vote, against Gonzalez’s 44 percent — a far bigger winning margin than expected after a virtual tie in the first round.
Speaking to jubilant supporters in his hometown of Olon, the 37-year-old president claimed a “historic victory”.
