This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
Uruguay has joined its neighbors in shifting rightward, with Luis Lacalle Pou of the National Party winning the presidential election on November 29, 2019, after a close and contentious runoff election.
The victory marks the end of 15 years of liberal rule by the Broad Front coalition, which oversaw significant social reforms, including the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage, and the sale of marijuana.
Mr. Lacalle Pou, 46, the son of a former president, has vowed to unite the nation of 3.4 million people after the tight vote, a sentiment conveyed in his Twitter message thanking his rival, Daniel Martínez of the Broad Front.
Mr. Lacalle Pou expressed confidence in his victory after the polls closed on Sunday, but vowed to wait for the final tally to call himself president-elect.
“Almost half voted for one candidate, and the other half plus a little bit for another candidate,” Mr. Lacalle Pou said. “Today’s result confirms that the next government can’t change one half of the country for another. We must unite society. We must unite Uruguayans.”
Mr. Lacalle Pou's victory is part of a broader trend in the region, with Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, and Colombia also moving rightward to varying degrees.
