General faces run-off in Guatemala vote

A right-wing retired general promising a crackdown on rampant crime led Guatemala's presidential election, although he fell short of the votes needed to avoid a run-off in November.

Otto Pérez, 60, who promises to send troops into the streets to fight criminal gangs, had 37 percent support with more than 80 percent of the votes counted, far short of getting more than 50 percent of the ballots as needed for an outright first-round victory.

Centrist Manuel Baldizón, a wealthy hotel owner and former congressman with a populist message of supporting the elderly and the poor, had 23 percent of the vote and seemed certain to face Pérez in a November 6 run-off.

Original source: Reuters