Who is Yamandu Orsi, Uruguay’s next president?

Left-wing person considered governmental heir of ex-President Jose Mujica vows to beforehand ‘national dialogue’.

Yamandu Orsi is acceptable to beryllium Uruguay’s adjacent president, aft the left-wing person emerged arsenic the victor of a play run-off to pb the South American federation of 3.4 cardinal people.

Orsi, of the Broad Front alliance, secured 49.8 percent of the votes during a 2nd circular run-off connected Sunday to decision Alvaro Delgado of the centre-right National Party, who garnered 45.9 percent support.

His triumph marks the instrumentality of a centre-left authorities to Uruguay’s presidency aft 5 years of a blimpish administration.

But conscionable who is Orsi? Here’s what you request to cognize astir the president-elect.

Early years

A teacher of history, people dancer and erstwhile mayor, the 57-year-old person is considered the governmental heir of erstwhile President Jose Mujica.

Mujica accompanied Orsi successful his run and praised him arsenic a caller person capable to find the close equilibrium betwixt social, governmental and economical priorities.

Orsi was calved connected June 13, 1967, successful the agrarian country of the Canelones department. His begetter was a vineyard husbandman and his parent a seamstress. While surviving successful the countryside, his sister taught him to work and write.

But the young Orsi began to signifier his governmental views and desires successful the mediate of the dictatorship successful Uruguay, which lasted from 1973 to 1983.

After the extremity of that period, Orsi joined the Popular Participation Movement led by Mujica, the ex-guerrilla person who became president successful 2010.

Supporters clasp look cutouts of Orsi aft polls closed successful the statesmanlike run-off predetermination successful Montevideo, Uruguay, November 24 [Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo]

Campaign promises

Orsi has said helium wants to usher successful “a modern left” to tackle homelessness, poorness and transgression – a cardinal interest among Uruguayan voters.

Homicide rates successful the state person risen sharply successful caller years, fuelled by changing cocaine smuggling routes.

The poorness complaint is 1 of the lowest successful the portion and has dropped backmost down to pre-COVID-19 levels this year, but charities accidental it continues to impact children disproportionately.

“The destiny and aboriginal of this state has to change,” Orsi told the Reuters quality bureau successful an interrogation successful the superior Montevideo past month, saying his Broad Front conjugation would onslaught a antithetic equilibrium betwixt societal payment and economical growth.

As politician of Canelones, successful the country’s second-largest region, helium was credited with helping to lure prospective investors and easing section bureaucracy to pull planetary firms specified arsenic Google, with immoderate level of success.

He has said helium plans to debar taxation hikes contempt a increasing deficit, and alternatively absorption connected spurring faster growth.

During his triumph code connected Sunday, Orsi pledged to “be the president who calls for nationalist dialog again and again”.

Orsi supporters observe pursuing aboriginal run-off predetermination results successful Montevideo, November 24 [Andres Cuenca/Reuters]

Folksy style

The begetter of twins campaigned arsenic a mean with a down-to-earth approach.

But his nonaccomplishment to acceptable retired a wide program for authorities drew criticism. He besides declined to instrumentality portion successful debates and gave fewer media interviews.

Though the predetermination volition displacement the equilibrium of powerfulness successful Uruguay, analysts did not foresee a monolithic alteration successful the country’s economical direction, with Orsi having antecedently promised “change that volition not beryllium radical”.

Orsi’s medication is to instrumentality bureau adjacent March, and similar Mujica – champion known for his humble surviving arrangements that erstwhile earned him the moniker of the “world’s poorest president” – helium has said that helium volition not unrecorded successful the statesmanlike residence.

Orsi has respective similarities with his governmental godfather, specified arsenic a emotion for the countryside and a quiescent lifestyle.

He is often photographed carrying accepted mate tea, walking his dog, Ramon, and dressing casually.