A former left-wing guerrilla has won the first round in El Salvador’s presidential election but a close result means there will have to be a second round run-off.<br /><br />Salvador Sanchez Ceren who was once a rebel commander during the country’s civil war campaigned on a raft of welfare policies including including pensions. <br /><br />The close runner-up was conservative Norman Quijano. He had hoped to win on the promise of tough policies including the use of the army to crackdown on El Salvador’s powerful street gangs.<br /><br />Former president Antonio Saca trailed behind in third place.<br /><br />With no one achieving the required 50 percent of the vote the two leading candidates will go to a run-off on March 9.<br /><br />It means the outcome will depend on who Saca’s supporters swing behind.
