Quito: The South American nation of Ecuador, population 16 million, votes in general elections on Sunday.

Here are five reasons the international community will be watching:

Trump

Outgoing President Rafael Correa says Latin America needs a strong leftist movement to resist US President Donald Trump’s hard line on immigration and trade.

But conservative contender Guillermo Lasso has sought to cozy up with Washington since Trump’s election victory in November, wishing the new US leader success.

Latin left

Correa is one of the last remnants from a wave of leftist leaders in Latin America who have defied US influence in the region.

Argentina, Brazil and Peru have all switched to conservative governments since late 2015. Sunday’s election could see another leftist domino fall.

‘The eyes of Latin America will be on the election in Ecuador,’ Correa said. ‘It could be the breaking point to put an end to this conservative restoration.’

Assange

Lasso has threatened to revoke asylum in Ecuador’s London embassy for fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Under Correa, Ecuador grabbed world headlines when it defied the United States by granting Assange refuge as he faces Swedish rape charges.

That shielded him from arrest and what he says is possible extradition to the United States for leaking diplomatic cables that embarrassed Washington.

WikiLeaks has said Assange could travel to the United States to face investigation if his rights were ‘guaranteed.’

Oil

Ecuador exports millions of barrels of oil a month to Canada, China, Japan and elsewhere, according to the US Energy Information Administration. It has suffered in recent years from falling oil prices.

Lasso has vowed to boost foreign investment. His rival for the presidency, Correa’s ally Lenin Moreno, promises more tax-and-spend policies.

Ecuador’s main foreign creditor, China, which has lent more than $17 billion to Ecuador, has promised to invest more, particularly in petrochemicals.

Disability

Moreno, 64, has paraplegia and uses a wheelchair, due to being shot during a robbery in 1998.

If he wins he will be the first person with such a disability to have become president in Ecuador, and one of few in the world.

Seen as more moderate than Correa, he has championed social causes and formerly headed a government task force on disability.