Opposition takes early lead in Salvadoran elections

SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador’s rightwing opposition party held an early lead on Monday in legislative and municipal elections, in a poll considered a test of strength for leftist President Salvador

Police and soldiers were deployed across the Central American country to provide security for Sunday’s vote, the ninth since a 1992 peace accord ended a bloody

eligible to take part, but turnout appeared low— something an - mal” for legislative and municipal polls, for which turnout has never

votes counted, the right- wing Republican Nationalist Alliance (ARENA) opposition held the initial lead in the early hours of Monday, with a tally of 408,031 ballots, according to the Latin American

The preliminary results showed the ruling Farabundo Marti National Liberation Movement ( FMLN) in second with

The two parties were deadly opponents during the civil war, with guerrilla groups under the banner of the FMLN fighting against a succession of US co-founded in 1981 by Roberto D’Aubuisson, a soldier linked to

Leftist President Sanchez Ceren Sunday (Monday in Manila). had warned Sunday that an an

-

At stake are all 84 seats in the single-chamber Congress as well as mayoralties and council seats in the

‘Future at stake’

A citizen casts his vote during legislative and municipal elections in San Salvador, on The elections will give a measure of Sanchez Ceren’s strength at a time when the country has been

are up for re-election who have That’s why you have to think Our future is at stake,” said Idalia

After a three-month campaign, the faces of the candidates were everywhere, their pictures hanging from light posts in towns through

In the current Congress, ARENA has a slight majority, with 35 seats -

That has forced Sanchez Ceren

Congress to fund certain popular social programs like free lunches and school supplies for public

But ARENA has blocked borrowing sought by the government for public works programs and forced cuts in spending in the