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.

Several polls had predicted Daniel Noboa, the 37-year-old heir to a business fortune, to win in the first round.

Ecuador is likely to choose its next president in a runoff election later this year as early results of a first-round vote Sunday showed a tight battle between conservative President Daniel Noboa and leftist lawyer Luisa González.

President Daniel Noboa hopes to secure a full four-year term but faces concerns over high crime and economic issues.

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

Ecuador’s center-right President Daniel Noboa fell short of securing an outright majority in the country’s general election, according to results available on Monday, setting the stage for a run-off vote against his nearest leftist rival.

Ecuador's April runoff election for president will test the lasting influence of former leftist President Rafael Correa when his protege, lawyer Luisa González, goes up against the conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa.