San Salvador, El Salvador - Leftist candidate Mauricio Funes claimed victory "without a shadow of doubt" late Sunday in El Salvador's presidential election, a historic vote that put an end to a 20-year rule by right-wing party ARENA.

"This was the happiest night of my life," Funes told reporters and supporters.

The still unofficial result was also a step forward in El Salvador's efforts to recover from a bloody 12-year civil war, which ended in 1992 and claimed 75,000 lives.

In that conflict, the Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (FMLN) fought the dictatorship that ruled the country. The former rebels later became a political party, also called the FMLN, which fielded Funes as its candidate.

"Today, the citizenship that believed in hope and defeated fear has triumphed," Funes said.

In the wake of an aggressive campaign, he promised to "cast aside confrontation and the spirit of vengeance."

"My government will be based on the spirit of national unity," Funes said. (dpa)