国际英语新闻：Chile holds general elections

SANTIAGO, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chileans cast ballots in election centers across the country on Sunday in the general elections to choose their president and members of the Congress.

    The general elections began on Sunday at 7 a.m. local time (1000 GMT) at the 34,348 voting centers across the countries, and more than 8.285 million Chileans vote to choose their president, 120 deputies and 18 of the 38 senators of the Congress.

    President Michelle Bachelet voted on Sunday at the east sector of Santiago. She arrived at the voting center about 10 a.m. local time (1300 GMT).

    After voting, Bachelet said that the elections were being held with "tranquillity and order."

Chile's President Michelle Bachelet casts her vote at a public school in Santiago December 13, 2009.

    She said that all of those electoral processes in the election have been "examples of normality and transparency."

    Bachelet also said that since one of the candidates will get more than 50 percent of the votes, "we all know that there will be a second round," on Jan. 17, 2010.