Uruguayans vote for President

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Uruguayans vote for President
Last Updated : 2009-10-25 2:32 AM

MONTEVIDEO: Voters in Uruguay faced a stark choice in Sunday's presidential election: an ex-rebel who yearns to create enduring socialism or a former center-right president who privatized government services and wants to pull away from alliances with Latin American leftists.

Jose "Pepe" Mujica, 74, the candidate of the governing Broad Front leftist coalition, was the clear front-runner, but polls suggested he would narrowly miss getting the majority needed to avoid a runoff against Luis Alberto Lacalle, 69, the National Party candidate who was president in 1990-95.

Uruguayans also were voting in two plebiscites. One would remove amnesty for human rights violations during Uruguay's 1973-85 dictatorship, opening up dozens of former military officials to prosecution. Another would allow Uruguayan citizens living overseas to vote by mail. Mujica favored both measures; Lacalle opposed them.

Outgoing President Tabare Vazquez is ending his single five-year term with the country in substantially good shape, the economy swinging up and consensus reached on many of the major issues that rile other democracies. But that shared understanding might not survive after Sunday.

In many ways, Uruguayans were voting for their visions of the past as well as the future.



Read more: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Uruguayans+vote+for+President&NewsID=41609

[Ken Burch]

1. Not meaning to be agist,, but why did the Broad Front nominate a candidate who's 74?

Is it customary for Uruguayan political leaders to be that old?

[Judi Lynn]

2. Apparently he's tremendously popular due to his extraordinary history

as a leader against the violent dictator, and the grotesque oppression of the people.

It appears he has the support of the cuirrent President Vasquez, who himself is well liked, and who nominated him as a cabinet member, according to the original article:

~snip~ He eventually became the top vote-getter in Congress and served as Vazquez's agriculture minister, developing a reputation for populist policies and impolitic commentary.

Here's more information on the man from the Latin American forum, a thread from October 22, with a good comment from DU'er "rabs" who was in Uruguay during the dictatorship era:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x25111

[Ken Burch]

3. Sounds like as good a reason as any.

n/t.

[roody]

4. k and r

[Judi Lynn]

5. Former guerrilla José Mujica favourite in Uruguay election

Former guerrilla José Mujica favourite in Uruguay election
Opinion polls put former radical ahead of ex-president Luis Alberto Lacalle but he could be forced into run-off
Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent guardian.co.uk, Sunday 25 October 2009 11.14 GMT

A charismatic former guerrilla with a knack for insulting the rest of South America is favourite to win most votes in Uruguay's presidential election today.

José Mujica, 74, has caught the imagination of the young and the poor with a blunt, folksy style and a promise to nudge the country leftwards.

Opinion polls put the former radical, who spent 14 years in jail during Uruguay's dictatorship, ahead of rivals but suggested he would be forced into a run-off vote next month.

To court the middle class, Mujica, popularly known as Pepe, has played down his guerrilla days with the Tupamaros National Liberation Movement and cast himself as a grandfatherly figure who ignores diplomatic protocol but endorses mainstream economic policies.

"I'm not the apocalypse nor the promised land," he said. "This is an election, not a war. Whatever happens, the country will continue moving ahead."

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/25/jose-mujica-favourite-uruguay-election

[Judi Lynn]

6. Ex-guerrilla ahead as Uruguay votes

Ex-guerrilla ahead as Uruguay votes
Sunday, 25 October 2009 09:21

An ex-guerrilla leader who was shot nine times and twice escaped from jail is tipped to become Uruguay's next president.

Jose Mujica, candidate for the incumbent Broad Front party, may get the nod from the country's 2.6 million voters in the first round of balloting.

The 74-year-old needs more than 50% of the vote to avoid a 29 November runoff against either of his main rivals, conservative former president Luis Lacalle, 68, from the National Party, or Pedro Bordaberry, 49, son of the country's 1973-1975 dictator representing the Colorado Party.

Surveys put Mr Mujica, better known in Uruguay by his nickname ' Pepe', well ahead of his rivals and within striking distance of an outright win today.

If Mr Mujica does triumph, analysts believe he will continue left-wing economic policies introduced by outgoing President Tabare Vazquez, who is ending five-year term on a wave of popularity but who is barred from re-election.

For Mr Mujica, ascending to the presidency would be vindication for the wrongs he suffered under Uruguay's brutal 1973-1985 dictatorship.

More:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1025/uruguay.html

[Ken Burch]

7. If this DID go to a runoff, are the smaller parties more likely to back Mujica, or Lacalle?

What sort of parties are the smaller ones?

[Judi Lynn]

8. Sorry, I don't know. I'll keep my eyes out for anything which might help throw light on it. n/t

[rabs]

9. Three main parties ...

(As of 11:38 Uruguay time)

The Frente Amplio (Leftist -- Mujica) has 48 percent

National Party (Blancos, or White Party) of LaCalle has 30 percent

Colorado Party of candidate Bordaberry has 17.9 percent

The National Party and Colorados were traditional rivals that ran Uruguay for decades, until the Frente Amplio (formed by ex-Tupamaro guerrillas) won in 2004 with leftist candidate and now president Tabaré Vázquez.

Suspect that Mujica will pick up some of the Colorado votes, in addition to Independent Party and other smaller party votes which together total about 4 percent of the vote tonight. So in theory, Mujica should beat LaCalle in the second round on Nov. 29.

[Ken Burch]

10. Thanks for the details.

n/t.