SAN SALVADOR - The former guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) were yesterday celebrating a feat that in over a decade of civil war in El Salvador remained beyond their grasp - the seizure of the capital.
Even before the vote count from Sunday's parliamentary and local elections was complete, the outgoing mayor of San Salvador, Mr Mario Valiente of the ruling Arena party, recognised the victory of Dr Hector Silva (49), the candidate of an FMLN led coalition.
With the two parties running neck and neck in the congressional race, it seemed the front would at least double its presence in the 82 seat legislature to around 28 deputies. Neither the FMLN nor Arena, however, is likely to win an overall majority. Nevertheless the results mark the most important electoral advance for the left in Central America this decade.
The FMLN leader, Mr Shafick Handal, described the front's sweeping victories, which included many of the country's most important provincial cities, as "a very important message for the democratisation process".
. The Irish El Salvador Support Committee welcomed the FMLN gains as a major set back for neo liberalism in the region.