Uruguay, one of Latin America's strongest democracies, heads to a runoff between two moderates
The leading contenders in Uruguay’s presidential election say voters in the small South American nation had sent the race to a run-off in November
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Voters in the small South American nation of Uruguay cast ballots Sunday in a presidential election in which a center-left rural mayor pulled firmly ahead of the conservative incumbent-party candidate, pushing the race into a second round of voting.
Both of the leading candidates — a two-time mayor and former history teacher, Yamandú Orsi, 57, and the center-right ruling party's candidate, Álvaro Delgado, 55 — told crowds late Sunday that they would face each other in a heated runoff on Nov. 24, reflecting official election results with over 90% of votes counted hours after polls closed.
The outcome came as little surprise. But Uruguay's remarkably civilized presidential race has emerged as an exception in the region, defying trends of bitter division and democratic erosion seen across Latin America and in the United States. Far from mud-slinging and personal attacks, Uruguay's contest focused on key issues such as rising crime, pension reform and the quality of schools.
Uruguay’s center-left Broad Front alliance went into the election as the front-runner, reflecting a desire for a stronger social safety net in one of Latin America’s most expensive countries, where one in five children lives in poverty and an aging population has clamored for higher pensions.
