Quito on election night

Just a quick one - I arrived in Quito today, inadvertently managing to time my arrival at the same time as the presidential elections. I got into my hotel, turned the TV on, and every channel was showing footage of a press conference and public celebrations in the centre of Quito following exit polls which currently suggest the left-wing guy, Correa, has won. So I thought I´d pop down and join in the fun! A quick bus ride later I found myself in Parque La Carolina, and the crowds weren´t hard to find - I simply had to follow the noise and shouts of "¡Correa, Presidente!, ¡Correa, Presidente!".

I picked up a couple of photos of the madness:





The election campaign has been a bloody one, with its fair share of controversy. Correa is a renowned anti-American and once called George Bush a dimwit! The usual promises to increase employment and reduce poverty have been the central theme through the campaigns of both candidates; I wonder if Ecuador will see these come to fruition this time, or will it suffer at the hands of more corrupt politicians?