Guatemala ? A former general vowing to crack down on crime in Central America’s most violent country and a businessman who promises to alleviate desperate poverty appeared to lead a pack of 14 candidates in Guatemala’s presidential vote Sunday.

Minutes before polls closed, about 3,000 people set a voting booth on fire in the town of El Cerinal, about 30 miles southeast of Guatemala City. They then went to the town’s other voting center and began burning the ballots. Police dispersed them with tear gas.

The crowd accused El Cerinal’s mayor, who is running for re-election, of bringing people from neighboring El Salvador to cast votes in his favor. The incident was the most violent in an otherwise calm election day.

The race was expected to end in a runoff in November, following a campaign marred by the deaths of about 50 candidates, party activists and their family members. Sunday’s vote took place under the watch of more than 34,000 police and soldiers.

Earlier, President Oscar Berger urged against disruptions. “We are not going to let anyone interfere with the election,” he said. “It’s a happy day for Guatemala. Let’s all go out to vote.”