Market says there is technical draw for the second place between Cynthia and Lasso

Lenin Moreno, presidential hopeful representing the ruling party, maintains the leadership in the intentions of the vote, according to an opinion poll revealed today by the Market firm.

According to the pollster, Moreno, of the Alianza País (AP) movement, in power since a decade ago, has a 28.4% of the voting intentions, followed by the socialist Cynthia Viteri with a 20.1% and former banker Guillermo Lasso, with an 18.2%.

In addition to Moreno, Viteri, and Lasso, former general Paco Moncayo, of the Social Democratic Democratic Left (11.45% of voting intention, according to the survey), and the former Assemblyman Abdalá “Dalo” Bucaram, from the Fuerza Ecuador grouping (4.88%) also seek the presidential chair.

Doctor Iván Espinel, of Compromiso Ecuador (2.60%); Former Foreign Minister Patricio Zuquilanda, of the Patriotic Society Party (1.04) and former Prosecutor Washington Pesántez, of the Ecuadorian Union (0.91%), are running for office too, according to data of the polling firm.

The possibility of a second presidential runoff in April will emerge if none of the eight candidates obtains an absolute majority of votes or at least 40 percent of the votes, with a 10 percent difference from the second most voted, according to the election rules of the country.

On February 19, 12.8 million Ecuadorians are entitled to elect the future head of state, the 137 members of the National Assembly (Legislature) and five members of the Andean Parliament.

Besides, a referendum promoted by the Presidency, which seeks to prohibit public servants from having money or goods in tax havens, will be held.