Uruguay ousts conservative government, elects leftist opposition candidate as turnout hits 90 percent

Uruguay ousted its blimpish authorities that had been successful complaint for the past 5 years, arsenic leftist absorption campaigner Yamandú Orsi claimed triumph successful a choky statesmanlike runoff Sunday.

Even arsenic the ballot number continued, Álvaro Delgado, the statesmanlike campaigner of the center-right ruling coalition, conceded decision to his challenger.

"With sadness, but without guilt, we tin congratulate the winner," helium told supporters astatine his run office successful the superior of Montevideo. 

Orsi, 57, a working-class erstwhile past teacher and two-time politician from Uruguay's Broad Front coalition, was mentored by erstwhile President José "Pepe" Mujica, an ex-Marxist guerilla who became satellite renowned for driving Uruguay’s legalization of abortion, same-sex matrimony and merchantability of marijuana a decennary ago. Orsi thanked his supporters arsenic crowds flocked to greet him.

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Yamandu Orsi, campaigner for the Broad Front (Frente Amplio) and moving mate Carolina Cosse, right, observe aft polls closed successful the statesmanlike run-off predetermination successful Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.  (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

"The state of liberty, equality and fraternity has triumphed erstwhile again," helium said, vowing to unite the federation of 3.4 cardinal radical aft specified a choky vote.

"Let's recognize that determination is different portion of our state who person antithetic feelings today," helium said. "These radical volition besides person to assistance physique a amended country. We request them too."

"I volition beryllium the president who calls for nationalist dialog again and again, who builds a much integrated nine and country," Orsi said.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll person to enactment precise hard, there's a batch to do," helium told the Associated Press from the glass-walled NH Columbia hotel, thronged friends and colleagues embracing and congratulating him.

With astir each the votes counted, electoral officials reported that Orsi won conscionable implicit 49% of the vote, up of Delgado’s 46%. The remainder formed blank votes oregon abstained successful defiance of Uruguay's enforced compulsory voting. Turnout reached astir 90%.

After weeks successful which the rivals appeared tied successful the polls, Delgado's concession ushers successful Orsi arsenic Uruguay’s caller person and cuts abbreviated the center-right Republican coalition's changeable astatine governing. 

Alvaro Delgado, statesmanlike campaigner for the ruling National Party, concedes decision successful Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.  (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

The 2019 predetermination of President Luis Lacalle Pou spelled an extremity to 15 consecutive years of regularisation by the Broad Front.

"I called Yamandú Orsi to congratulate him arsenic President-elect of our country," Lacalle Pou wrote connected societal media level X, adding that helium would "put myself astatine his work and statesman the modulation arsenic soon arsenic I deem it appropriate."

Orsi's triumph made the South American country the latest to rebuke the incumbent enactment successful the aftermath of post-pandemic economical malaise.

The triumph contrasts with that of populist Javier Milei, who won the presidency successful Argentina successful 2023 by promising to overhaul the constitution to woody with soaring ostentation and poverty. Milei reportedly has grown adjacent to President-elect Trump. 

Orsi has been described arsenic a mean with nary extremist plans for change. He mostly agrees with his hostile connected cardinal elector concerns similar driving down the puerility poorness rate, present astatine a staggering 25%, and containing an upsurge successful organized transgression that has shaken the federation agelong considered among Latin America's safest. 

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Despite Orsi's committedness to pb a "new left" successful Uruguay, his level resembles the premix of market-friendly policies and payment programs that characterized the Broad Front’s tenure from 2005-2020.

Mujica, present 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer, turned up astatine his section polling presumption earlier balloting adjacent began connected Sunday to praise Orsi’s humility and Uruguay’s arrogant stability.

"This is nary tiny feat," helium said of his nation's "citizenry that respects ceremonial institutions."

With ostentation easing, and the system expected to grow by immoderate 3.2% this year, Delgado had promised to proceed pursuing his predecessor’s pro-business policies. 

Supporters of the Broad Front (Frente Amplio) observe the triumph of campaigner Yamandú Orsi successful Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.  (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

Lacalle Pou, who constitutionally cannot tally for a 2nd consecutive term, has enjoyed precocious support ratings. But the authoritative results trickling successful connected Sunday showed that mounting complaints successful Uruguay astir years of sluggish economical growth, stagnant wages and the government’s conflict to incorporate transgression aft 5 years helped plaything the predetermination against Delgado.

Specific proposals by Orsi see taxation incentives to lure concern and revitalize the captious cultivation sector, arsenic good arsenic societal information reforms that would little the status property but autumn abbreviated of a extremist overhaul sought by Uruguay’s unions that failed to walk successful the Oct. 27 wide predetermination during which neither front-runner secured an outright majority. 

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He is besides apt to enactment an extremity to a commercialized statement with China that Lacalle Pou had pursued to the chagrin of Mercosur, an confederation of South American nations promoting determination commerce.

His authorities volition instrumentality bureau connected March 1, 2025.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.