- Title: URUGUAY: URUGUAYANS TAKE TO POLLS IN CLOSE PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF ELECTION
- Date: 28th November 1999
- Summary: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY. (NOVEMBER 28, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. GENERAL VIEW OF MONTEVIDEO 0.08 2. SLV CARS IN STREET CARRYING FLAGS/ SV FLAGS ON ROADSIDE (2 SHOTS) 0.19 3. SLV OPPOSITION CANDIDATE TABARE VAZQUEZ ARRIVING TO VOTE 0.24 4. VARIOUS OF VAZQUEZ VOTING, SURROUNDED BY CAMERAS/REPORTERS (3 SHOTS) 1.28 5. MV FLAG STALL ON STRE
- Embargoed: 13th December 1999 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
- Country: Uruguay
- Reuters ID: LVA412H5CO1BD4FDHCX0GD7MBNPT
- Story Text: Uruguayans have taken to the polls in a close
presidential run-off election that shows both candidates tied.
Polls before the vote on Sunday (November 28) show
Jorge Batlle of the ruling centre-right Colorado Party tied
with opposition candidate Tabare Vazquez, effectively leaving
an undecided bloc worth around eight percent of the vote to
pick the winner.
The election is the small South American country's fourth
since it emerged from a 12-year dictatorship in 1985 and is
largely seen as a choice between Batlle's broad experience or
Vazquez's promise to end a historic grip on the presidency by
the Colorado and National parties, Uruguay's two traditional
political forces.
Should Vazquez's Progressive Encounter-Popular Front
coalition win, he would be the first left-winger to lead the
nation of 3.2 million people sandwiched between Brazil and
Argentina, famous for its beef and wool.
The 59-year-old cancer specialist and former mayor of
Montevideo won Oct.31's first round with 39 percent of the
vote against Batlle's 31.7 percent.The elections also turned
the Popular Front into the chief force in Congress.
Promising to help the poor, jobless, and the embattled
farm and export sectors, Vazquez has tapped a vein of
disenchantment with the ruling parties which was made worse
this year by an economic recession.
Unemployment has jumped above 11 percent and the economy
is expected to contract two percent in 1999, hurt by crises in
trade partners Brazil and Argentina.
Analysts say Vazquez's plain-spoken and charismatic style
has been key in making the Popular Front's collection of
centre-leftists, communists, socialists and even former
members of the Tupamaro urban guerrilla group palatable for
Uruguay's conservative public.
But under attack from Batlle, Vazquez has had to
repeatedly qualify his "progressive" proposals with promises
that they will be "gradual," and vow he will not tax bank
deposits or devalue the currency.
Batlle, a 72-year-old senator whose father and great uncle
were respected Colorado presidents, has campaigned on
maintaining the relative economic stability that has helped
tame the country's inflation and spur growth over the past
years.It is his fifth bid for the presidency, having lost out
in previous elections to party colleagues or members of the
National Party.
Known for his good humour, Batlle has quickly gained ground
this month by winning the National Party's support and by
attacking Vazquez's proposal to create a personal income tax.
His government would further the mild market reforms of
President Julio Sanguinetti, a Colorado Party member, who
steps down Mar.1, 2000.
Polls opened at 8 a.m.(1100 GMT) and will close at 7:30
p.m.(2230 GMT).
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