Center-right candidate Sebastian Pinera...

Patricio Rosende, the country"s deputy foreign minister representing the Central Election Commission, was quoted as saying the 60-year-old billionaire businessman garnered 51.61% of the Sunday"s vote.

Pinera"s rival, 67-year-old Eduardo Frei representing the governing center-left coalition, has gained 48.38%.

If Pinera wins the second round, he will become the first right-wing leader since dictator Augusto Pinochet stepped down in 1990.

The winner will succeed Michelle Bachelet, the incumbent Chilean president, on March 11, 2010. According to the Chilean Constitution, a president is elected for a single four-year term.

In the first round of the election held on December 13, Pinera garnered 44.03% of the vote while Frei, who was Chile"s president from 1994 to 2000, received 29.62%.

Bachelet, who earlier called for Chileans to vote for Frei, congratulated Pinera on his victory.

"Today, the people elected you the president of the republic,

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