Uruguay: left-wing opposition candidate wins presidential election

Thousands of people took to the streets, horns honking, cries of joy… In Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, the victory for the left was greatly celebrated. Opposition candidate Yamandu Orsi won the presidential election on Sunday, November 24, a victory marking the return to power of the left of the emblematic former president José “Pepe” Mujica. Candidate of the Frente Amplio coalition, the elected president won with 49.8% of the votes, according to the final official results. “I’m happy!” The people have won again »declared after the announcement of the results Walkiria Paris, a 63-year-old retiree.

Yamandu Orsi's opponent, Alvaro Delgado, a candidate from the party of outgoing president Luis Lacalle Pou, in power since 2020, won 45.9% of the votes. The former veterinarian from the right-wing National Party quickly conceded defeat, saying ” greet “ Yamadu Orsi on behalf of “all the actors of the (governmental) coalition” who supported him. For his part, the outgoing head of state, who was unable to run again because the Constitution prohibits running for a second consecutive term, promised a transition “orderly”.

This return of the left to power comes after a previous sequence of fifteen years under Tabaré Vazquez in 2005 and 2015, as well as José “Pepe” Mujica in 2010.

A president who wants to call for “national dialogue”

For his part, the elected president of the Frente Amplio coalition, who will take office on March 1, indicated that his victory augured a ” change “ who will not “not radical”. He also promised: “I will be the president who calls again and again for national dialogue to find the best solutions, of course by following our vision, but also by listening very carefully to what others tell us”he indicated.

Former President José Mujica, who became famous around the world for his outspokenness and humble lifestyle, praised the talents of “negotiator” of his foal Yamadu Orsi. The 89-year-old politician, despite his fight against cancer, put his great popularity at the service of the campaign of the 57-year-old former history teacher who, like him, came from a modest rural background.

“It’s a victory for all of Latin America”

A month before this second round, on October 27, parliamentary elections concurrent with the first round saw the Frente Amplio win 16 of the 30 seats in the Senate and 48 of the 99 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. During his campaign, Yamadu Orsi stressed that this result offered his camp the conditions to “carry out the transformations that the country needs”.

“I would like to congratulate (…) the elected president Yamandu Orsi, the Frente Amplio and my friend Pepe Mujica”reacted on X (ex-Twitter) the president of neighboring Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. “This is a victory for all of Latin America and the Caribbean”he noted.