Leftist FMLN celebrates win, defeated party reax

(16 Mar 2009) SHOTLIST
AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various of Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) party supporters in cars celebrating victory in the streets of San Salvador
2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Mauricio Funes, Leader of the FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front) Party:
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
"I become, without any doubt and with the results offered up to now by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the president-elect of all Salvadorans." (audience cheering)
3. FMLN party supporters cheering in the streets of San Salvador, UPSOUND "Funes, Funes!"
++NIGHT SHOTS++
4. Rodrigo Avila, candidate of Arena Party (conservative) on podium at party headquarters after election loss
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodrigo Avila, Arena Party presidential candidate
"I want to....Mauricio Funes of the FMLN.....to Mauricio Funes of the FMLN....recognise....recognise that in this tight fight, the margin of difference has given him the advantage. And I ask God....I ask God...like He gave wisdom to the Salvadoran people, He gives it to him and to his party."
6. FMLN supporters at downtown square celebrating victory
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Mauricio Funes, FMLN party candidate and president-elect of El Salvador
"As authentic democrats, men and women, we believe in the democratic system."
8. Cheering FMLN supporters waving banners
9. Cheering FMLN supporters
STORYLINE
The conservative candidate early on Monday conceded defeat in El Salvador's presidential vote to the party of former rebels, who gained power for the first time since a bloody civil war ended 17 years ago.
Rodrigo Avila of the conservative Arena party said he recognised the victory of Mauricio Funes of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front.
Funes' victory in Sunday's poll extends a string of leftist triumphs in Latin America as US President Barack Obama assesses the region.
Funes already said that integration with Central America and strengthening relations with the United States would be among his priorities.
The FMNL leader rode a wave of discontent with two decades of Arena party rule that brought economic growth but did little to redress social inequalities.
Funes also promised to tackle big businesses which he claimed evaded taxes.
Avila, a former police chief, had warned that an FMLN victory would send El Salvador down a communist path and threaten the country's warm relations with the United States.
Those ties saw El Salvador keep troops in Iraq longer than any other Latin American country and become a hub of regional cooperation with Washington against drug trafficking.
The country's economy depends on (b) billions of dollars sent home by 2.5 (m) million Salvadorans who live in the US.
The Obama government has assured Salvadorans it will work with any leader elected - a marked departure from the Bush administration, which in 2004 suggested that an FMLN victory would hurt ties.

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