With heavy police presence, Ecuadorians vote for president without violence
NPR
By The Associated Press
Published August 20, 2023 at 9:57 AM EDT
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Supporters attend an open-air Mass during the closing campaign rally of the "Movement Construye" party in Quito, Ecuador, on Thursday.
Updated August 20, 2023 at 8:25 PM ET
GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — Ecuadorians put aside fears of leaving their homes amid unprecedented violence and voted for a new president Sunday in a special election that was heavily guarded by police and soldiers in part due to the assassination of a presidential candidate this month.
The country's top electoral authority, Diana Atamaint, reported no violent incidents affected voting centers and characterized the election as "peaceful and safe" after polls closed.
However, Atamaint, president of the National Electoral Council, said the electronic voting system used by Ecuadorians living abroad was targeted by several cyberattacks, including from China, India and Bangladesh. She said the incidents did not jeopardize vote counts.
Authorities deployed more than 100,000 police and soldiers to protect the vote against more violence. Gen. Fausto Salinas, commander general of the National Police, said one person was arrested for false voting, two for harassment and resisting arrest and more than 20 for unlawfully carrying guns.
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