ECUADOR’S main opposition party refused today to accept the result of Sunday’s presidential election.

The National Electoral Council said the incumbent, Daniel Noboa, a right-wing millionaire, had defeated the protegee of Ecuador’s most influential recent president Rafael Correa for a second time.

Mr Noboa is reported to have received 55.8 per cent of the vote while Luisa Gonzalez of left party Citizen Revolution won 44 per cent.

Mr Noboa told supporters: “Ecuador is changing and that path will mean our children will live better lives than we did.” 

But Ms Gonzalez rejected the results and accused her opponent of electoral fraud.

She said: “We’re going to ask for a recount and for the polls to be opened.”

She added: “We do not recognise the results.”

Ms Gonzalez said the president had abused his power. 

“He never took leave to campaign and imposed his authoritarian agenda,” she said, charging that the president had declared a state of emergency in an attempt to commit colossal fraud. 

“This is a dictatorship, and this is the most massive electoral fraud we Ecuadorians are witnessing,” she added.

Mr Noboa slammed the fraud allegations and said: “Ecuadorians have already spoken, now we have to get to work.”