In the recent elections, a party of former Marxist guerillas, Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) has gained power in El Salvador. With this it has brought an end to 20 years of conservative rule in this country. Mauricio Funes, leader of the FMLN declared himself President late on Sunday (15th March) night. Early counting showed that he got 51.2 per cent of the vote with more than 90 percent of ballots counted. Shortly afterwards his rival, the right-wing candidate Rodrigo Avila, conceded his defeat.

 

A jubilant Mr Funes told a news conference that, this is the happiest night in his life. Between 1980 and 1992, FMLN and the military government fought a bloody 12-year civil war, in which 75,000 people died. The FMLN's victory will place El Salvador firmly on the Latin American left-of-centre axis led by Venezuela President Hugo Chávez.

 

FMLN's rise to power will be closely watched by Washington that is already unnerved by the "pink tide" sweeping Central America. However, the Obama government has assured Salvador to work with any leader elected. Mr Funes on his part has already said that, he would respect a free trade agreement with the United States and retain the dollar as El Salvador's currency.