Ecuador says overseas voting system hit by cyberattacks amid presidential election

Ecuadorians put aside fears of leaving their homes amid unprecedented violence and voted for a new president Sunday in a special election that was heavily guarded by police and soldiers in part due to the assassination of a presidential candidate this month.

The country's top electoral authority, Diana Atamaint, reported no violent incidents affected voting centers and characterized the election as "peaceful and safe" after polls closed.

However, Atamaint, president of the National Electoral Council, said the electronic voting system used by Ecuadorians living abroad was targeted by several cyberattacks, including from China, India and Bangladesh. She said the incidents did not jeopardize vote counts.