Ecuadoreans voted on Saturday on a reform package likely to give leftist President Rafael Correa more power over courts and media critics in the Andean OPEC-member nation, Reuters reported. Big spending on schools, roads and hospitals have underpinned Correa's popularity among the poor and lower-middle classes, but rivals accuse him of having an authoritarian streak and using public votes to amass power. Advance polls showed about 55 to 60 percent of voters in favor of the referendum's 10 questions, which range from revamping the judiciary to banning bullfighting. But stronger campaigning by Correa's rivals in the past few days boosted the "No" campaign, leaving them about 10 points behind. "I voted 'Yes' because we need honest judges who leave criminals behind bars ... We're giving Correa too much power, but it doesn't matter, someone has to tidy up this mess," said Cesar Acosta, 67, after voting in a poor Quito neighborhood. Correa aims to attract mining investors in a bid to diversify the economy from dependence on oil exports and money sent home by Ecuadoreans working abroad. But some communities oppose the projects because of environmental concerns.
