The plenary of the TCE unanimously approved to deny the request of the aspirant of the Pachakutik party. | Photo: @TCE_Ecuador

Quito, March 15 (RHC)-- The Electoral Tribunal (TCE) of Ecuador has rejected the appeal presented by the presidential candidate of the Pachakutik party, Yaku Perez, who alleged electoral fraud that affected his vote in the elections of last February 7th.

With this decision of EDT, it was ratified the celebration of the second electoral round on April 11, between Andres Arauz, of the Union for Hope alliance (UNES), and Guillermo Lasso, of the CREO-PSC coalition.

Perez went to EDT to request a recount of votes in 28,000 tally sheets, with which - he affirmed - he would prove that he would have been in second place in the elections and not the right-wing Lasso.  However, the TCE plenary unanimously approved to deny the request of the representative of the Pachakutik party.

Perez, in a message published in his Twitter account, described as "deplorable" the EDT's decision, which he affirmed is an attack "against the popular will, hurting Ecuador's democracy."  The electoral campaign for the April 11 ballot in Ecuador will start next Tuesday.

Arauz and Lasso will star in a mandatory presidential debate on March 21, which will take place in the port city of Guayaquil and will last one hour and 35 minutes.  Previously, on March 18, the vice-presidential candidates for UNES, Carlos Rabascall, and for CREO-PSC, Alfredo Borrero, will have their respective debates.

The first electoral round, held on February 7, was won by Arauz, with 32.72 percent of the votes, and in second place was Lasso, with 19.74, while Perez obtained 19.38 percent of the votes.