Briefs | Argentine – In surprise, opposition in election forces runoff

The ruling party’s presidential candidate promised continuity with some changes. The leading opposition candidate promised changes with some continuity. Argentine voters seemed to call that a draw in Sunday’s election, giving the two men a neck-and-neck finish and forcing a runoff in their bid to succeed President Cristina Fernandez, a polarizing leader who garnered both devotion and loathing as she spent heavily on the poor and blasted political opponents and even other nations like the United States. With 80 percent of polling places reporting early yesterday, opposition candidate Mauricio Macri and ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli each had 35 percent of the votes. Sergio Massa, a former Fernandez loyalist who broke away to form his own political movement, was third in the six-candidate field with 21 percent. The unexpected tight finish means Macri and Scioli will square off in a Nov. 22 runoff. To win the first round, a candidate had needed 45 percent of the votes or 40 percent and a 10-point advantage over the nearest competitor.

Guatemala – TV comic Jimmy Morales wins presidency

TV comic and self-styled outsider Jimmy Morales swept to Guatemala’s presidency on the back of popular anger against the political class after huge anti-corruption protests helped oust the last government. Morales, who is to assume the presidency Jan. 14 and has never held political office, said he would get right to work with a transition team to study economic issues and work on development-oriented government policies. “It is not I who declare myself the winner but rather the people who have done so,” said Morales, 46, who starred in the comedy “Moralejas.” Morales claimed victory late Sunday and his runoff opponent, former first lady Sandra Torres, conceded defeat after official results showed him winning around 68 percent of the votes with 97 percent of polling stations tallied. Election officials were expected to give a final count yesterday. “We recognize Jimmy Morales’ triumph and we wish him success,” Torres said. “Guatemala has serious problems, but the people made their choice and we respect it.”