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El Salvador election: Both candidates claim victory | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Both candidates in El Salvador's presidential election have claimed victory after a preliminary count showed the vote was too close to call. | |
Election officials said the race was very tight and told both to wait for the final results. | |
With all votes counted, the difference between former guerrilla leader Salvador Sanchez Ceren and conservative rival, Norman Quijano, is just 0.2%. | |
Mr Sanchez Ceren, from the governing FMLN party, was widely tipped to win. | |
But Mr Quijano, who has been calling for a tougher approach on violence, has made gains in the past few weeks. | But Mr Quijano, who has been calling for a tougher approach on violence, has made gains in the past few weeks. |
He criticised the government for being too soft on street gangs responsible for much of El Salvador's violence. | He criticised the government for being too soft on street gangs responsible for much of El Salvador's violence. |
The Central American nation has one of the world's highest murder rates. | The Central American nation has one of the world's highest murder rates. |
With just several thousand votes putting Mr Sanchez Ceren, the electoral authorities have said it will take them at least another day to declare an outright winner. | |
"This tribunal recommends and orders that no party declare itself winner given such close results," said Supreme Electoral Tribunal president Eugenio Chicas. | |
In the first round, held on 2 February, Mr Sanchez Ceren had 48.93% of the vote. He needed 50% to avoid a run-off against Mr Quijano, who received 38.93%. | In the first round, held on 2 February, Mr Sanchez Ceren had 48.93% of the vote. He needed 50% to avoid a run-off against Mr Quijano, who received 38.93%. |
Mr Sanchez Ceren, 69, was a Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) commander during El Salvador's bloody civil war, which went on from 1980 to 1992. | Mr Sanchez Ceren, 69, was a Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) commander during El Salvador's bloody civil war, which went on from 1980 to 1992. |
The Marxist rebel group became a political party after the end of the civil war and won the presidential election for the first time in 2009. | The Marxist rebel group became a political party after the end of the civil war and won the presidential election for the first time in 2009. |
Mauricio Funes was elected and Mr Sanchez Ceren served as his deputy. | Mauricio Funes was elected and Mr Sanchez Ceren served as his deputy. |
Street gangs truce | Street gangs truce |
In 2012, Mr Funes's government facilitated a truce between the country's two biggest gangs. | In 2012, Mr Funes's government facilitated a truce between the country's two biggest gangs. |
The criminal organisations, or "maras", are involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping and vicious turf wars in El Salvador and neighbouring countries. | |
The truce between the Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street Gang initially reduced El Salvador's murder rates but there are signs that the deal is falling apart. | The truce between the Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street Gang initially reduced El Salvador's murder rates but there are signs that the deal is falling apart. |
Mr Sanchez Ceren has tried to distance his campaign from the plan, which is widely unpopular with ordinary Salvadorans, says the BBC's Will Grant. | Mr Sanchez Ceren has tried to distance his campaign from the plan, which is widely unpopular with ordinary Salvadorans, says the BBC's Will Grant. |
He says he will try to include all political forces in the government if he wins the vote. | He says he will try to include all political forces in the government if he wins the vote. |
"The Salvadoran people want hope. For that reason, we are going to build a great national understanding with all political forces," said Mr Sanchez Ceren. | "The Salvadoran people want hope. For that reason, we are going to build a great national understanding with all political forces," said Mr Sanchez Ceren. |
But analysts say he may have no other choice. Despite Mr Quijano's defeat in the first round, opposition parties won control of the Congress. | But analysts say he may have no other choice. Despite Mr Quijano's defeat in the first round, opposition parties won control of the Congress. |
Mr Quijano, 67, has blamed the government for negotiating with gang leaders. He also denounced the influence of left-wing governments in the region over the FMLN. | Mr Quijano, 67, has blamed the government for negotiating with gang leaders. He also denounced the influence of left-wing governments in the region over the FMLN. |
"The FMLN proposals are based in giving the country's sovereignty to Venezuela," the Arena party candidate said during the campaign. | "The FMLN proposals are based in giving the country's sovereignty to Venezuela," the Arena party candidate said during the campaign. |
More than 70,000 people - many of them civilians- died in the conflict between the Marxist rebels and the right-wing government, which was backed by the United States. | More than 70,000 people - many of them civilians- died in the conflict between the Marxist rebels and the right-wing government, which was backed by the United States. |
El Salvador's new president will be sworn in on 1 June for a five-year term. | El Salvador's new president will be sworn in on 1 June for a five-year term. |