Ecuador Opposition Wins Big Local Races in Blow to Correa

Opposition candidates won mayoral races in three major cities in Ecuador on Sunday, including the capital Quito, in a major blow to President Rafael Correa, exit polls showed.

In a tough test of his popularity, the hardest since the leftist economist took office in 2007, center-right candidates defeated Correa allies in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, private pollsters Cedatos, Market and Opinion Publica reported.

Mauricio Rodas, 39, was projected to take 58 percent of the vote in the capital city, home to 2.2 million people, to outdo incumbent Augusto Barrera, at 40 percent, according to an average of exit polls.

In Guayaquil, with 2.3 million people, opposition Mayor Jaime Nebot looked set to clinch reelection, with 60 percent, against 38 percent for Correa ally Viviana Bonilla.

Cuenca, with some 712,000 people, also likely went to opposition hands with Marcelo Cabrera earning 51 percent against Paul Granda. He was seeking reelection but netted 46 percent, pollsters said.

Quito's mayor, joined by Correa, conceded defeat.

"We recognize... the results as they are being broadcast," Barrera said at the Alianza Pais (Nation Alliance) party headquarters.

Re-elected last year for a final four-year term -- the constitution prevents him from staying on longer -- Correa has said that losing the capital to the opposition would threaten stability.

Under Correa, Ecuador has pared its ties with the United States and has joined new regional blocs with other like-minded leftist governments, such as that of Venezuela.