Uruguay election heading for second round, pension reform likely rejected

MONTEVIDEO/TREINTA Y TRES, URUGUAY — 

Official statesmanlike results successful Uruguay connected Sunday showed center-left campaigner Yamandu Orsi volition apt look blimpish Alvaro Delgado successful a 2nd circular adjacent month, arsenic nary campaigner secured the bulk needed for a photo-finish.

Of the 60% of votes tallied, Orsi had secured 41.5% support, according to the authoritative number connected Sunday. Delgado had secured 28.69%, portion Andres Ojeda, a young, societal media savvy conservative, had secured 16.8%.

Ojeda has pledged to enactment Delgado to artifact a near triumph if yet knocked retired successful the archetypal round.

If nary statesmanlike campaigner gets much than 50% of the ballot connected Sunday, a 2nd circular volition beryllium held connected Nov. 24.

Uruguay's contention betwixt 2 centrist candidates bucks a Latin America inclination of crisp right-left divides, with important overlap betwixt the large blimpish and wide coalitions taking immoderate of the sting retired of the result.

The federation of 3.4 million, known for its beaches, legalized marijuana and stability, besides voted for its adjacent vice president and members of parliament connected Sunday.

Vote counting was besides underway for 2 binding plebiscites - 1 connected a pension betterment that would little the status property by 5 years to 60 and different that would boost constabulary powers to combat drug-related crime. Exit polls amusement some were apt rejected.

Uruguayans appeared to cull the $22.5 cardinal pension overhaul, 2 exit polls showed connected Sunday, defusing fears from investors and politicians that it could wounded the economy. According to section pollsters Cifra and Equipos Consultores, 61% of eligible voters struck down the proposal, versus 39% who voted successful favor.

The information referendum besides failed, according to Equipos Consultores, securing little than 40% support.

As polling stations closed connected Sunday, hundreds of Broad Front supporters successful superior Montevideo, wherever residents person historically supported the center-left, gathered by a signifier overlooking the city's waterfront to await the results.

"We are the enactment that grew the astir successful this election," Orsi said addressing the crowds from the stage.

"In these adjacent 27 days we're going for that past push, with much tendency than ever," helium added.

However, the temper was much subdued among Broad Front voters arsenic results showed that the conservatives combined could yet bushed the near successful a 2nd round.

Miguel Angel Chirivao, 71, who had formed his ballot for the Broad Front, said it would beryllium hard for the near to bounce backmost aft Sunday's result, which was tighter than expected.

"They had a poorer effect than we expected. That'll beryllium hard to reverse," helium said.

In Treinta y Tres, a agrarian portion of eastbound Uruguay that has traditionally voted conservative, 60-year-old workplace idiosyncratic Ramon Silveira, who formed his ballot for Delgado, said: "I privation the inclination of the past 5 years to continue."

While information was an country the ruling conjugation could amended on, Silveira was assured that with much clip successful government, transgression rates would travel down.

Uruguayans besides voted connected whether to region law curbs connected nighttime constabulary raids targeting backstage homes arsenic a mode to combat drug-related crime. Despite rising elector concerns implicit security, exit polls suggested the connection was rejected.

The pension betterment and information referendums necessitate elemental majorities to pass.

The ruling blimpish conjugation is struggling to support its information record, but hopes successes connected the system - with some employment and existent salaries connected the emergence - whitethorn beryllium capable to person voters successful a run-off to take continuity implicit change.

"I'm convinced that each the enactment we've done and what we correspond is going to crook retired well," Delgado said earlier connected Sunday.