The apparent second place finisher in El Salvador’s Presidential Election is calling for election officials to annul the results and hold a new election.  This, after first count showed the conservative candidate losing to the Leftist by less than 7,000 votes.

Norman Quijano of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) was a wafer thin 0.22 percent behind Salvador Sanchez Ceren of the ruling leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), a former commander of rebel forces in El Salvador's bitter and bloody civil war.  The results were something of a surprise, because Sanchez was expected to win by 10-points.

If the election results are confirmed later this week, Sanchez will be the first rebel leader to become president.  The electoral tribunal already called the outcome “irreversible”.  International observers were present for vote and said they were satisfied with how it was conducted. 

But Quijano declared himself the winner and the spat has raised concerns of a protracted dispute in El Salvador.  His ARENA party, long-tied to El Salvador's landed elite, says protesters would continue to take to the streets until a full recount was carried out.