Ex-guerilla to lead Timor

DILI - Agence France-Presse

Former guerrilla Taur Matan Ruak has won East Timor’s presidential run-off by a wide margin, preliminary results showed yesterday, in a pivotal year for the nation almost a decade after independence.

Ruak, who had campaigned in military fatigues to highlight his role in the fight against Indonesian occupation, won 61.23 percent of the vote. If confirmed, Ruak, also a former defense chief, will become the leader of the impoverished and oil-dependent country, replacing Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta, who trailed in third place in the first round on March 17.