They vie for a full four-year term, promising voters to reduce the widespread criminal activity that upended their lives four years ago.

Noboa says his deployment of the military on the streets and within prisons has reduced violent deaths by 15%, led to a drastic fall in prison violence, and helped in the capture of major gang leaders.

A lawyer with limited political experience, Luisa González is vying for Ecuador's presidency for a second time.

Ecuadorians voted in a presidential election Sunday that shaped up to be a repeat of the 2023 race, when voters chose a young, conservative millionaire over the leftist protégée of the country’s most influential president this century.

Noboa, first elected in 2023 to finish out his predecessor's term, says his deployment of the military on the streets and within prisons, among other measures, has reduced violent deaths by 15%, led to a drastic fall in prison violence, and facilitated the capture of major gang leaders.

Ecuador's presidential race will go to an April runoff if current trends in the count continue, Diana Atamaint, the head of the national electoral council said late on Sunday, as incumbent Daniel Noboa led leftist Luisa Gonzalez by less than 1% in the tally.