In Uruguay, the presidential run-off is focused on 'social democracy' | Election News

Political violence has marred Mexico's elections this year. And in Venezuela's presidential race, protests were accompanied by disputed results and widespread allegations of electoral fraud.

But in Uruguay on Sunday, there was a very muted presidential election.

Located on the southern Atlantic coast, north of Argentina, Uruguay was one of several Latin American countries to hold high-profile presidential elections this year.

And unlike some of its counterparts, critics say Uruguay serves as an example of democratic stability in the region.

Sunday's election was a run-off, pitting the presidential contenders from the October 27 election.

The early favorite was Yamandu Orsi, the candidate of the Broad Front coalition. In the October vote, he received 44 percent support – well short of the 50 percent needed to avoid a run-off.

The runner-up on October 27 was Alvaro Delgado of the ruling National Party, a conservative party.

Although he received only 27 percent of the vote in the first round, he may have benefited from the 20 percent of voters who voted for the third-place candidate, Andres Ojeda, a fellow conservative of the Colorado Party.

Both Orsi and Delgado went into Sunday's run with strong support, making the result a nail-biter.

Orsi, a 57-year-old history teacher, is backed by former President Jose Mujica, a former rebel hero who survived persecution under Uruguay's military dictatorship in the 1970s and 80s.

Mujica has become a favorite on the left: He was called the “poorest president in the world” during his tenure, from 2010 to 2015, because of his humble lifestyle.

Orsi's Broad Front coalition was in power until the 2019 elections, when the Conservative National Party emerged. It was the first back-to-back win in nearly 15 years.

But outgoing President Luis Lacalle Pou is prevented by law from seeking a second term in a row. Instead, the 55-year-old Delgado, a former veterinarian, is running for his team.

Both Delgado and Orsi emphasized strengthening Uruguay's economy.

Orsi, who campaigned under the slogan “We know how to succeed”, emphasized ways to raise the wages of low-wage workers. Delgado, meanwhile, is focused on expanding Uruguay's control and making trade deals with partners like China.

Both men pledged to respect the results of the election and work together, regardless of the outcome.

“We must appreciate what we have: democratic coexistence,” said the head of the Broad Front coalition, Fernando Pereira.

Meanwhile, Ojeda – who finished third in the first round of voting – commented to local media about the calm surrounding the Uruguayan elections.

“If I brought a foreigner here and didn't tell him there was an election, he wouldn't have seen it,” said Ojeda.