Quito - Rafael Correa was inaugurated Monday for a renewed and prolonged term as Ecuadorian president, with a four-year mandate in which he vowed to move further towards 21st century socialism.

Before over 1,000 invited guests including 10 South American leaders, Correa attacked "wild capitalism" and "the interests of imperialism."

Tegucigalpa, Honduras/Buenos Aires - Honduras' interim leadership has warned the presidents of Argentina and Ecuador against travelling to the Central American
country with ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

Interim president Roberto Micheletti warned presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina and Rafael Correa of Ecuador against travelling to Honduras.

"I will hold Cristina Kirchner and Correa accountable for whatever happens in the country," Micheletti said in an interview published Thursday in conservative Argentine

Quito  - Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa was re- elected Sunday with 54 per cent of the first-round vote, according to results broadcast by television channel Ecuavis from an exit poll by the government-hired pollster Santiago Perez.

According to the exit survey, former Ecuadorian president Lucio Gutierrez (2003-05) got 31 per cent.

In order to avoid a runoff, the socialist Correa, 46, needed to either capture a majority of the vote, or a plurality of more than 40 per cent with a margin of at least 10 percentage points over the second-place candidate.

Quito - Ecuador is set to vote in a presidential contest Sunday, with incumbent Rafael Correa heavily favoured for re- election. Correa, 46, looked poised to secure victory in the first round without a runoff. The election is already historic in Ecuador as the first in which an incumbent president has sought re-election.

Tehran - Ecuador's President Rafael Correa in Iran for a three-day visit started talks Saturday in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the news network Khabar reported.

Correa, the first president of Ecuador to visit Iran, arrived in Tehran on Friday night and is also set to meet parliament deputies and businessmen.

The main agenda of the talks between the two OPEC member states is the furthering of bilateral political and economic relations, with several agreements expected to be signed. (dpa)

Quito - Ecuador President Rafael Correa confirmed that he will make an official visit to Iran this week, to strengthen ties between the two oil-producing nations and to bolster bilateral trade and cooperation.

Correa vowed to work for "the maximum benefit of our people, and what is signed will be fulfilled," noting that he will lead a group of local businessman seeking opportunities in the Iranian market.

Quito  - Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa celebrated Monday the approval of a draft for a new constitution that he had advocated.

The leftist Correa commented to foreign media in Ecuador just hours after a referendum on the proposed new constitution on Sunday passed with 64 per cent of votes in favour, according to official results after roughly 80 per cent of the ballots had been counted.

Lima  - Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said Saturday in Lima that he is willing to step down from power if it is proved that his government has backed the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Correa made this comment amid allegations by Colombian authorities that FARC - who hold hostage former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and over
700 others - may have given funds to Correa's presidential campaign and that the government in Quito may have granted protection to the rebels.