President on course to be first leader in a century to win two consecutive terms after exit polls give him 54% of the vote

This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

Ecuador was on course to re-elect President Rafael Correa after yesterday's voting in an emphatic endorsement of his leftwing rule, which would make him the first incumbent in a century to win two consecutive terms.

Exit polls gave the combative and charismatic leader more than 50% support, far ahead of his presidential rivals and possibly enough to give him a majority in the national assembly.

"This revolution is on the march, and nobody and nothing can stop us," he told cheering supporters in his home town of Guayaquil. "The people have given us the most splendid victory of probably the last 50 years."

Correa, 46, has shaken up one of South America's poorest countries by doubling state spending on health care, education, pensions and infrastructure, clashing with the United States and foreign lenders and erecting trade barriers.

The middle-class economist, educated in Belgium and the US, says he is a socialist leading a "citizens' revolution". He is a member of the region's "pink tide" of leftist leaders and an ally of Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez.

Critics worry about recession and a looming financial black hole from tumbling oil revenues, as well as repercussions from Correa's decision last year to default on $3.3bn (£2.2bn) of debt he deemed "illegal".

Opponents also warn of an authoritarian drift under Correa's aggressive, centralising style of leadership.

After a decade of economic shocks, revolving-door governments and political turmoil, however, most Ecuadoreans seem to welcome the president's firmness and resolve to tackle poverty.

Most also approved his decision to expel two US diplomats and to not renew the lease on a small US military base.

"We have formal democracy, our great challenge now is to build true democracy, which means a more fair and more equal homeland," Correa said after voting.

Turnout was expected to be high among the population of 14 million scattered across Pacific coastal ports, Andean mountain villages, Amazon tribes and the Galápagos islands. Ecuador is so named because it straddles the equator.

To win in the first round Correa needs more than 50% or at least 40% with a 10-point margin over his closest competitor.

Exit polls gave Correa at least 54% and placed Lucio Gutiérrez, a former president and coup leader, second with 28%. Alvaro Noboa, a banana magnate and perennial presidential candidate, was third with 10%. Gutiérrez said he would wait for official results before conceding.

Correa, a former finance minister, stormed to power as a political outsider in 2006. Booming oil revenues allowed him to double state spending from $9.5bn to $21bn in two years and gave him momentum to rewrite the constitution, paving the way for yesterday's election and the chance to run for two further successive four-year terms.

Before Correa the country earned a reputation as South America's most turbulent by going through 10 presidents in a decade.