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El Salvador election 'too close to call' | El Salvador election 'too close to call' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
El Salvador's electoral tribunal says that after a preliminary count of the votes, the presidential election remains too close to call. | El Salvador's electoral tribunal says that after a preliminary count of the votes, the presidential election remains too close to call. |
Preliminary results suggest left-wing candidate Salvador Sanchez Ceren has a lead of 0.22 percentage points over his conservative rival Norman Quijano. | Preliminary results suggest left-wing candidate Salvador Sanchez Ceren has a lead of 0.22 percentage points over his conservative rival Norman Quijano. |
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal asked the candidates to refrain from claiming victory, which both had done on Sunday. | The Supreme Electoral Tribunal asked the candidates to refrain from claiming victory, which both had done on Sunday. |
It said it could take until Thursday to confirm the official results. | It said it could take until Thursday to confirm the official results. |
Deep divide | Deep divide |
The poll reflects the deep political rift that still divides the Central American nation 22 years after its civil war. | The poll reflects the deep political rift that still divides the Central American nation 22 years after its civil war. |
Mr Sanchez Ceren's party, the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN), turned from a rebel group into a political party at the end of El Salvador's civil war (1980-92). | Mr Sanchez Ceren's party, the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN), turned from a rebel group into a political party at the end of El Salvador's civil war (1980-92). |
When the FMLN won the 2009 presidential election, Mauricio Funes became president and Mr Sanchez Ceren was named vice-president. | When the FMLN won the 2009 presidential election, Mauricio Funes became president and Mr Sanchez Ceren was named vice-president. |
Mr Funes was a journalist who was sympathetic to the FMLN rebels during the civil war but was never a guerrilla. | Mr Funes was a journalist who was sympathetic to the FMLN rebels during the civil war but was never a guerrilla. |
If Mr Sanchez Ceren were to be declared the winner, he would become the first former rebel to serve as El Salvador's president. | If Mr Sanchez Ceren were to be declared the winner, he would become the first former rebel to serve as El Salvador's president. |
Razor-thin majority | Razor-thin majority |
With the preliminary count finished, Mr Sanchez Ceren had 50.11% of the vote, ahead of Mr Quijano, of the Arena party, who won 49.89%, according to the electoral authorities. | |
Supreme Electoral Tribunal president Eugenio Chicas urged the two parties to wait for the official tally. | Supreme Electoral Tribunal president Eugenio Chicas urged the two parties to wait for the official tally. |
"This tribunal recommends and orders that no party declare itself winner given such close results," he said in a TV and radio address. | "This tribunal recommends and orders that no party declare itself winner given such close results," he said in a TV and radio address. |
"There is a difference of 6,000 votes. Of course that could be irreversible, but we can only confirm that in the final tally," he added. | "There is a difference of 6,000 votes. Of course that could be irreversible, but we can only confirm that in the final tally," he added. |
Mr Sanchez Ceren, 69, had been widely tipped to win after his comfortable lead in the first round, during which he just fell short of the 50% needed to win outright. | Mr Sanchez Ceren, 69, had been widely tipped to win after his comfortable lead in the first round, during which he just fell short of the 50% needed to win outright. |
But Mr Quijano made significant gains in the past weeks. | But Mr Quijano made significant gains in the past weeks. |
Controversial truce | Controversial truce |
Mr Quijano, 67, softened his rhetoric from one of cracking down on the country's infamous street gangs to advocating the rehabilitation of those young people caught up in gang life. | Mr Quijano, 67, softened his rhetoric from one of cracking down on the country's infamous street gangs to advocating the rehabilitation of those young people caught up in gang life. |
El Salvador has one of the world's highest murder rates, largely blamed on the street gangs, known as maras. | El Salvador has one of the world's highest murder rates, largely blamed on the street gangs, known as maras. |
In 2012, the FMLN government facilitated a truce between the country's two biggest gangs. | In 2012, the FMLN government facilitated a truce between the country's two biggest gangs. |
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 tried to distance his campaign from the plan, which is unpopular with many Salvadoreans, says the BBC's Central America correspondent Will Grant. | Mr Sanchez Ceren tried to distance his campaign from the plan, which is unpopular with many Salvadoreans, says the BBC's Central America correspondent Will Grant. |
The winning candidate will face the challenge of reviving a sluggish economy and reducing the country's high poverty levels. | The winning candidate will face the challenge of reviving a sluggish economy and reducing the country's high poverty levels. |
The new president will be sworn in on 1 June for a five-year term. | The new president will be sworn in on 1 June for a five-year term. |