According to the first official numbers, Correa wins

17 of October 2006

After the scrutiny of 20% of votes, the members of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), have announced that Rafael Correa holds first place with 25,61% of the valid votes.

The votes correspond in their majority to Azuay, Carchi, Imbabura, and Morona Santiago provinces, and a certain percentage from other provinces. Alvaro Noboa occupies second place with 24%.

This data was released in a press conference that representatives of the TSE gave at 19:30pm from within the building of that organisation, although two hundred demonstrators were outside demanding their resignation.

In order to enter the press conference, the representatives had to evade the demonstrators and, afterwards, had to remain for more than an hour on the premises. The representatives could only leave the building by hiding their identity.

According to the president of TSE, Xavier Cazar, from yesterday citizens should concern themselves only with official data from the Supreme Tribunal, because the contract with the company E-VOTE, who had promised quick results, was cancelled.

The representatives declared that the scrutiny of votes by the president and vice-president he would be 100% ready by the morning. They called for Ecuadorians to remain calm, declaring that the data provided up until yesterday by E-VOTE must be ignored.

Cazar declared that none of the members of the Tribunal have presented their resignation and that, in addition, they count on the support of the president of the Republic and the Armed Forces.

Translated from La Hora.