Correa claims re-election win in Ecuador

Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa claimed victory in the country's presidential vote on Sunday, moments after exit polls showed voters had handed him a second term in office.

"My first words are of profound gratitude to the Ecuadoran people inside and outside the country ... because we've won overwhelmingly," Correa told a news conference.

Exit polls showed the incumbent obtained 55 percent of the votes against 28 percent for nationalist candidate Lucio Gutierrez and 10.2 percent for right-wing candidate Alvaro Noboa, according to the Cedatos-Gallup polling group.

Two other polls also placed Correa above 50 percent.

However, it was uncertain if his party would garner a majority in elections for congress -- also Sunday -- likely key for his pursuit of a socialist agenda.

Since coming to power in 2006 he has been a close ally of regional leftists, including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The US-educated economist has taken a tough stance with investors and refused to repay foreign debt, in moves welcomed by supporters who blame the effects of the economic crisis on foreign liberalism.

"It's in our hands: return to the past or continue change," Correa said as he cast his ballot on Sunday.

Meanwhile Nationalist candidate Lucio Gutierrez on Sunday expressed doubts over the electoral process.

"The government wants to buy a million votes by distributing grain to farmers," Gutierrez said Sunday, accusing the government of campaigning past a midnight deadline.

Balloting began in the South American nation, which borders Peru and Colombia, at 7:00 am (1200 GMT) and polls closed at around 5:00 pm (2200 GMT).

Correa had nearly two years left of his current term.

He has promised to pursue popular social programs funded by oil wealth in the OPEC nation where 38 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

But the challenge will be tougher this time as the economic crisis lowers the prices of oil, the country's main export, and remittances from immigrants abroad -- at least 10 percent of the population -- are also down.

The fight for the 124-seat congress is still unclear.

Opinion polls give Correa's ruling Alianza Pais party 60 seats, with the rest in the hands of opposition parties.

In a split congress, Correa would have to form a tricky coalition with Gutierrez's Patriotic Society Party and the Institutional Renewal Party of National Action of right-wing billionaire Alvaro Noboa.

The opposition has already complained that Correa's "authoritarian" government has controlled the media during the election campaign.

The opposition accuses Correa's government of wasting state funds through bad management and making the impact of the crisis more severe.

Correa seeks to continue his policies, despite foreign debt of 10 billion dollars, representing 19.7 percent of Ecuador's GDP. The president declared a moratorium on one third of the debt last December.

"First (look after) our own, first social policies, and afterwards we can service the debt," Correa said Wednesday.

Since coming to power, Correa has created a state radio and television channel and a weekly program in which he speaks to the country, as well as several newspapers.

His re-election would give some stability to the world's top banana exporter that has seen three of its previous presidents -- between 1996 and 2006 -- ousted before the end of their terms.