In Uruguay, a presidential run-off focused on ‘democratic coexistence’

Political violence marred Mexico’s elections this year. And successful Venezuela’s statesmanlike race, protests accompanied a contested result and wide allegations of electoral fraud.

But successful Uruguay connected Sunday, a overmuch much muted presidential election unfolded.

Located connected the confederate Atlantic coast, northbound of Argentina, Uruguay was 1 of respective Latin American countries holding high-stakes statesmanlike elections this year.

And dissimilar immoderate of its counterparts, critics accidental Uruguay serves arsenic a exemplary for antiauthoritarian stableness successful the region.

Sunday’s predetermination was a run-off, pitting the apical 2 statesmanlike contenders from the October 27 wide predetermination against 1 another.

The aboriginal favourite was Yamandu Orsi, the campaigner for the left-wing Broad Front coalition. In the October vote, helium notched 44 percent enactment — good abbreviated of the 50 percent needed to debar a run-off.

Coming successful 2nd spot connected October 27 was Alvaro Delgado of the ruling National Party, a blimpish group.

While helium lone received 27 percent of the ballot successful the archetypal round, helium is apt to payment from the 20 percent of voters who formed their ballot for the third-place candidate, chap blimpish Andres Ojeda of the Colorado Party.

Both Orsi and Delgado precocious to Sunday’s run-off with beardown support, making the result a nail-biter.

Orsi, a 57-year-old past teacher, has the enactment of erstwhile President Jose Mujica, a erstwhile leftist rebel combatant who survived torture nether Uruguay’s subject dictatorship successful the 1970s and ’80s.

Mujica has since go a beloved fig connected the left: He was dubbed the “world’s poorest president” during his clip successful office, from 2010 to 2015, for his humble lifestyle.

Orsi’s Broad Front conjugation was successful powerfulness until the 2019 election, which saw the emergence of the blimpish National Party. It was the archetypal blimpish triumph successful nearly 15 years.

But outgoing President Luis Lacalle Pou is prevented by instrumentality from seeking a 2nd consecutive term. Running alternatively for his enactment is the 55-year-old Delgado, a erstwhile veterinarian.

Both Delgado and Orsi person emphasised strengthening Uruguay’s economy.

Orsi, who campaigned with the slogan “We cognize however to achieve”, has emphasised measures to rise wages for low-income workers. Delgado, meanwhile, has focused connected streamlining Uruguay’s bureaucracy and forging commercialized deals with partners similar China.

Both men person pledged to respect the results of the predetermination and enactment together, nary substance the outcome.

“We indispensable worth what we have: antiauthoritarian coexistence,” said the caput of the Broad Front coalition, Fernando Pereira.

Meanwhile, Ojeda — the third-place campaigner knocked retired successful the archetypal circular of voting — remarked to section media astir the calm accompanying Uruguay’s election.

“If I had brought a foreigner present and I didn’t archer him that determination was an election, helium wouldn’t person noticed,” Ojeda said.