Argentina's first lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner late Sunday claimed victory in the country's presidential election, with partial results showing that she had won by a large margin.

 

"We have won amply," Fernandez said in a televised speech hours after polls closed. "This is a triumph for all Argentines."

 

Argentina's first lady and president-elect Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner celebrates at her campaign headquarters in Buenos Aires, October 28, 2007.

 

With outgoing President Nestor Kirchner standing beside her, she made special mention "of the man who is at my side today, and who has been my companion all my life," and blew her husband a kiss.

 

Fernandez also acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead, saying her victory, "far from putting us in a position of privilege, puts us instead in a position of greater responsibilities and obligations."

 

With results from more than four-fifths of polling stations, the 54-year-old senator had about 44 percent of the vote, compared with 23 percent for former lawmaker Elisa Carrio and 17 percent for former economy minister Roberto Lavagna.

 

Under Argentina's electoral rules, Fernandez avoids a runoff with at least 40 percent and a margin of 10 percent over the runner-up.

 

Both Carrio and Lavagna conceded defeat.

 

"We congratulate (Fernandez) and recognize her victory," Carrio said in a broadcast speech a little later.

 

Argentina's first lady and president-elect Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner  and President Nestor Kirchner celebrate at their campaign headquarters in Buenos Aires, October 28, 2007.

 

Fernandez, of the ruling Victory Front party, is scheduled to take office on December 10 for a four-year tenure, thus becoming Argentina's first elected female president.

 

The first woman in charge in Argentina was Maria Estela Martinez de Peron, the widow of Gen. Juan Domingo Peron, best known as Evita. She ruled the nation from 1974 to 1976 following the death of her husband.

 

Argentine Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez described Sunday's general elections as the "most transparent in Argentina's history."

 

The election had been programmed to run from 8:00 AM (1100 GMT) to 6:00 PM local time (2100 GMT) but was extended by an hour in the capital Buenos Aires because polling stations were late opening and the number of voters was high.

 

Argentina's 27.1 million registered voters also cast their ballots to elect a vice president, 130 deputies, 24 senators, eight regional governors, 209 regional deputies and 63 regional senators.

 

Some 100,000 soldiers and police have been deployed to safeguard election security, while 80 observers oversaw the transparency of the process.

 

Argentina's first lady and president-elect Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner  and President Nestor Kirchner celebrate at their campaign headquarters in Buenos Aires, October 28, 2007.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2007)