Ecuador vote count puts Correa back in the lead

[Judi Lynn]

Ecuador vote count puts Correa back in the lead
Thu May 12, 2011 3:57pm EDT

By Eduardo Garcia

QUITO, May 12 (Reuters) - Vote counting in Ecuador showed President Rafael Correa heading for a referendum victory on Thursday after he accused electoral officials of delaying the tally in pro-government regions.

Correa, an ally of Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez, had already declared victory after the vote on Saturday when polls and a quick count gave him a clear lead in the referendum on ten reforms that will give him more power over the judiciary and media in the South American OPEC nation.

But a sluggish official tally by the National Electoral Council initially indicated two key questions were facing rejection by voters and slim support for the others.

By Thursday, though, official counting showed all the reforms being endorsed.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/ecuador-referendum-idUSN1229248420110512?rpc=401