Ecuador's presidential race will go to an April runoff if current trends in the count continue, Diana Atamaint, the head of the national electoral council said late on Sunday, as incumbent Daniel Noboa led leftist Luisa Gonzalez by less than 1% in the tally.
The two rivals also faced one another in a run-off in 2023.
Noboa is leading the count with 44.7%, but Gonzalez is close behind with a tally of 43.8%, with 67% of ballot boxes counted.
"This triumph is for you because Daniel Noboa represents fear and we represent hope, change," Gonzalez told supporters in Quito.