Georgetown - American-born white grandmother, Ms Janet Jagan (77), widow of Guyana's late leader Mr Cheddi Jagan, was the leading contender to become Guyana's president yesterday as the former British colony staged only its second democratic elections in 30 years.
The death in office nine months ago of her husband, a towering figure in Guyana's politics and the last of a generation of pre-independence Caribbean leaders, swelled popular support for the left-leaning PPP/Civic and for Ms Jagan, who quickly became prime minister and by her own admission "reluctantly" accepted to run for president.
Her main opponent to rule the country for the next five years was Mr Desmond Hoyte (68), whose People's National Congress (PNC) was in power from 1964 to 1992 when it lost to Jagan's People's Progressive Party/Civic alliance (PPP/Civic).