Ex-Army general expected to become Guyana's new president

A retired army general is poised to become Guyana's new president after a multi-ethnic opposition coalition defeated a party that has been in power for nearly 25 years, officials said today.
Preliminary results show that David Arthur Granger and his Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change Coalition obtained nearly 207,000 votes in Monday's general elections. The governing People's Progressive Party obtained almost 201,500 votes, according to chief elections officer Keith Lowenfield.
The coalition is expected to have a three- or four-seat majority in the 65-member Parliament of the South American country. It previously had a one-seat majority and often clashed with President Donald Ramotar, who forced early elections after suspending and dissolving Parliament to avoid a no-confidence vote.

Ramotar's party has been in power since 1992 and was seeking a sixth consecutive term while facing accusations of corruption and mismanagement. It has long received support mostly from Guyanese of Indian descent.
The party had requested a partial recount of ballots, but the US Embassy said that allegations about irregularities were unfounded, calling the election "free and fair.