Uruguayans vote for President

[Judi Lynn]

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.

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

[Peace Patriot]

1. According to wiki, Uruguayan presidents can have unlimited but NON-CONSECUTIVE--

five year terms.

Here's a handy wiki list: all the term limits (or not) in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_term_limits

So Tabare Vasquez could run again in the next presidential election, five years from now. Vasquez is one of the most popular and successful presidents Uruguay has ever had. He is up there at the Chavez-Morales-Correa-Zelaya level of popularity (very popular)--and, interestingly, is a close friend and ally with these leaders. Peacefulness, belief in social justice, and the new spirit in Latin America of cooperation, solidarity and mutual benefit--the characteristics of these leaders and of Vasquez--have benefited all. Let's hope that these policies continue with Mujica, and are not too gravely set back in Uruguay, if the fascist wins. Mujica should win, but we gotta realize that there is HEAVY-DUTY money going into psyops--a lot of it from our own pockets (our tax dollars)--to turn back the leftist tide in Latin America. A leftist loss in Uruguay would be greeted with whoops of greedy glee and champagne corks in Washington DC.

However, even if Mujica wins, I'm not sure Uruguay would maintain its position in the leftist trend. Mujica is not Vasquez. He is much less steady on his feet, from what I've read of him--more a libertarian than a leftist, and (from his statements) a "centrist" in the great rightwing minority/leftist majority divide in South America. Also, despite his background as a leftist guerilla during the Uruguayan dictatorship, and years in prison, he doesn't seem to understand the word "solidarity" and has been playing some seemingly U.S.-oriented games about Chavez. This could be just politics. (All of these leaders have vicious corpo-fascist 'news' monopolies that they have to deal with.) Or it could mean that he lacks Vasquez's political vision--the need for Latin American countries to pull together. Fernando Lugo wobbled around in the same way when he was running for president of Paraguay (with considerable reason--the Bushwhacks were still in charge, and were funding/organizing a white separatist coup attempt in neighboring Bolivia at the time--mid-year 2008). But it soon became clear that Lugo was strong on the solidarity/cooperation front. If Mujica follows the same curve, we will know that it is likely pressure from the corpo-fascist media that has prompted his "centrist" malarkey.

[Peace Patriot]

2. Another interesting item gleaned from the wiki list...

There are 20 countries with no term limit on the president or prime minister, including the UK, Australia, Canada, Italy, Venezuela, India and Japan, and Germany and Austria don't limit the Chancellor but do limit the president (--I think the Chancellor is more powerful). (And didn't Ecuador and Bolivia end term limits on the president with their new constitutions? Or did they just add a second term?)

Anyway, you don't see the corpo-fascist press calling India a dictatorship, or Japan, or England, or any of the others, because their leaders can stay in office indefinitely. But let a very popular leftist get a vote of the people overwhelmingly approving no term limit for the president (Venezuela-Chavez), and, oh, do the creepy crawly corpo-fascist mice come out of their dank holes to squeak, "Dictator! Dictator!"

:puke:

[Braulio]

4. I am for term limits

And I don't appreciate being insulted with terms such as "Corpo-fascist".

[Peace Patriot]

5. "I am for term limits." You and the Pukes of the mid-1950s U.S. who never wanted to see

another "New Deal" in the U.S., ever again, and wanted to dismantle the one we had (and have made considerable progress in doing so).

They overrode Thomas Jefferson and James Madison--who considered term limits anti-democratic--and rammed through a two-term limit on the president here, in order to prevent another FDR from ever gaining sufficient power to curtail their massive and criminal looting and profiteering off workers and the poor. That is what term limits are all about here--rule by corpo-fascist elites. And those who opposed lifting terms in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador (and Honduras) are...guess what they are? Corpo-fascists! The. Rich. The "few" trying to curtail the power of the "many" when the "many" are lucky enough and well-organized enough to elect a champion of the people.

So pardon me if I place you in that category. Term limits is not a neutral issue. It isn't now, and it wasn't in the 1950s. FDR ran for and won four terms in office, and that is what the Pukes were trying to prevent from ever happening again, and that is what Venezuelan, Bolivian, Ecuadoran and Honduran fascists have also been trying to prevent.

The key issue is TRANSPARENT elections, NOT term limits.

[Braulio]

7. I still like term limits

Not being American, I'm not scared when you quote Jefferson and friends. After all, they're the same guys who said "all men are created equal" and then went on to legalize slavery.

I like term limits because it fluidizes change, and helps dislodge entrenched powers. I do notice you guys are very focused on voiding term limits, must be caused by your "man on a white horse" syndrome. You Latin Americans are so into caudillos and all that. It's a good thing Latin America has Lula da Silva and Brazil to lead it, otherwise, you guys will be just another Africa in 20 years.

[roody]

12. If the cap fits....

[Judi Lynn]

13. Absolutely.

http://www.inglewoodcarecentre.com.nyud.net:8090/images/Clipart/april_fool/cap1.gif

[Judi Lynn]

3. 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

[rabs]

8. Polls predict a runoff

Latest from newspaper El Pais in Montevideo (8:13 p.m. Eastern)

Three polls are giving Mujica between 47 and 49 percent, short of the 50 percent plus one vote needed.

Runoff would be held on Nov. 29 (same day the golpistas in Honduras are planning their farce.)

After voting, Mujica went to his farm to work with his tractor on fields, aided by neighbors.

At this time all candidates are in Montevideo hotels awaiting the results. Should know in two or three hours.


Mujica votes.


Último Momento
Según las encuestadoras habrá balotaje

Según Óscar Botinelli de la empresa Factum, habrá balotaje el 29 de noviembre próximo.

Según las proyecciones de esta empresa el Frente Amplio votó entre un 47 y un 49 por ciento, el Partido Nacional, 29 a 31 por ciento y el Partido Colorado llegó a votar entre un 17 y 18 por ciento.

En tanto el Partido Independiente tendría entre un 2 y 3 por ciento.

Cifra, en tanto, dijo que el Frente Amplio llegó a un 47 por ciento, el Partido Nacional tendría un 30 por ciento, el Partido Colorado estaría en un 17 por ciento, en tanto que el Partido Independiente estaría en un 2,4 por ciento del total de votos.

En tanto, la empresa Equipos Mori, con un 41 por ciento de votos escrutados, también da balotaje, con el Frente Amplio llegando a 48,1 por ciento de votos, el Partido Nacional 28,3 por ciento, el Partido Colorado 18,1 por ciento.

[rabs]

9. Mujica says there will be a runoff election

Minutes ago, Mujica said that there would be a second round of voting. 10:15 Uruguay time.
Vice President candidate Danilo Astori said the results today for the Broad Front were better than the 2004 results, in which Tabare eventually won.



Último Momento
Mujica reconoció que habrá balotaje

El candidato del Frente Amplio José Mujica reconoció hace minutos que habrá balotaje, aunque se señaló que es optimista con lo que pueda pasar en dicha instancia. Por su parte, el candidato a vice, Danilo Astori, comentó que están "contentísimos, superamos a los dos partidos tradicionales juntos. Mejor que en el 2004", afirmó.

[dipsydoodle]

10. BBC News - Ex-guerrilla leads Uruguay polls

Most polls show Senator Jose Mujica has narrowly failed to secure the 50% needed to avoid a run-off vote.

If a second round is officially confirmed, he is likely to face his main conservative rival, the former president, Luis Lacalle.

The winner will replace outgoing socialist President Tabare Vazquez and take office in March next year.

Exit polls on Sunday suggested 74-year-old Mr Mujica had gained about 48% of votes, with Mr Lacalle trailing on around 30%.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8325318.stm

[dipsydoodle]

11. BBC News - Uruguay set for run-off election

Former guerrilla leader Jose Mujica has fallen just short of the majority needed to triumph in the first round of Uruguay's presidential election.

Senator Mujica, from the governing Broad Front coalition, took 47.49% in Sunday's poll.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8326728.stm