(1 Jun 1998) Spanish/Nat
With 97 percent of votes counted in Colombia's national election, Horacio Serpa of the governing Liberal Party is leading by just a third of a point ahead of the Conservative Party's Andres Pastrana.
Serpa has 34-point-6 percent against Pastrana's 34-point-3 percent.
Serpa seems to have eluded his biggest liability - being connected to the scandal-tainted administration in which he was a key player
Andres Pastrana is a former Bogota mayor in his second run for the presidency.
Noemi Sanin, a former foreign minister who had hoped to break the traditional parties' century-old monopoly on power, had 27 percent of the vote so far.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"It is clear, it is clear, in just three weeks we will win the presidency of the republic.
SUPER CAPTION: Andres Pastrana
SOUNDBITE: Let's hear it well, we have sent a signal to the traditional politicians that they will not be able to ignore. They will not be able to ignore it even if they want to. Our message our votes, is one of hope, but also of protest and rejection. It calls for change.
SUPER CAPTION: Noemi Sanin
SOUNDBITE: We should never forget that the most important talent all of us Colombians have women, men, without class distinction, race or religion or ideas, without hurting anyone is to achieve peace. SUPER CAPTION: Horacio Serpa
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