This morning it looks like the second round of the presidential election in Ecuador puts lefty Rafael Correa winning against wealthy Bible toting, self-proclaimed “hero of God” Alvaro Noboa.The returns showed Correa with as many as twice the votes recorded as his rival, who claimed the polls were rigged. This marks another victory in Latin America for left of center politicians who have aligned themselves with the politics and personalities of firebrands and “enemies” of the U.S. like Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Cuba’s Fidel Castro.T

he election, which pitted Correa against billionaire banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa, was watched closely in the US. Correa had promised to disregard a free trade agreement with the US and close down a US military base in the country. Correa’s win means Ecuador joins Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Nicaragua, and Venezuela on the list of countries that have also elected leftist presidents in recent years.

Via / The Christian Science Monitor

Image Via / La Jornada