Guatemala City, Guatemala (CNN) -- Guatemalans voted Sunday in a presidential election that could put a retired army general in power.

Long lines of voters surrounded polling centers across the Central American nation, where proposals to deal with widespread violence and the growing threat of organized crime have figured heavily in the campaigns of 10 candidates vying for the country's top job.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of votes, there will be a runoff election on November 6. The new president takes office in January.

Polling centers closed at 6 p.m. (8 p.m. ET), though people who had not voted but were already in line will still be allowed to cast their ballots. The state-run AGN news agency reported long lines in locations throughout the country. Results are expected later.

Polls before Sunday's election favored Otto Perez Molina, who has pledged to bring a "mano dura" -- firm hand -- to Guatemala's highest office. If elected, Perez Molina says he will focus on fighting crime and poverty.

In a debate co-hosted by CNN en Español last month, the former military general called for "elite units of the army" to play a larger role in the nation's battle against gangs and drug cartels.

But that proposed approach -- and Perez Molina's high rank in the military during Guatemala's decades-long civil war -- worries human rights groups both in Guatemala and abroad.

"These groups have begun questioning his military past and his participation in the war against the insurgents during the armed conflict. Undoubtedly, this issue will be present during his presidency if he wins the elections," said Miguel Castillo, a political analyst at Guatemala's Francisco Marroquin University.

Concerns stem from the fact that the Guatemalan military committed multiple atrocities during the civil war, though Perez Molina has never been directly implicated in any of them, Castillo said.

Perez Molina is campaigning for president for a second time. He was defeated in 2007 by incumbent president Alvaro Colom.

"We are proposing the change that is necessary in Guatemala and we are ready to propel it forward," Perez Molina said during last month's debate.

COMMENT: unfortunately perez molina leads the Guatemala vots for the next president and manuel baldizon the youngest candidate is in second place both candidates passed to the second round to see who will lead Guatemala during 4 years and thats why Guatemala has to think a little bit for who is gonna lead the country.