By Laura Gamba
BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - More than 2.7 million registered voters in the South American nation of Uruguay are set to vote on Sunday to elect a new president to succeed center-right Luis Lacalle Pou, who has served a five-year term and is barred from seeking immediate re-election under the Constitution.
Voting centers opened at 8.00 am (1100GMT) and will close at 7.30 pm (2230GMT), with official results expected tonight.
The left-wing coalition Frente Amplio has campaigned for re-election with candidate Yamandu Orsi, a former aide to ex-President Jose "Pepe" Mujica.
Orsi, 57, is a candidate for the Frente Amplio coalition, which governed Uruguay for three consecutive terms from 2005 to 2020.
Recent opinion polls show Orsi leading with 44% of the vote, but he needs more than 50% to win outright, making a runoff likely against Alvaro Delgado, who is polling at 23%.
Delgado, a key figure in Lacalle Pou's administration, represents the continuation of the current economic and security policies.
Uruguay’s economy has been robust, with 3.8% growth in the second quarter of 2024. During Lacalle Pou’s administration, 76,000 jobs were created, wages increased and inflation, estimated at 4.5%, was the lowest in the last 18 years.
However, there has been a lack of discussions on the issues that concern Uruguayans the most –crime and insecurity. They have also not sought consensus on how to tackle child poverty, despite the fact that it affects 20% of Uruguay's children under the age of 6.
Despite trailing Orsi and Delgado in polls, conservative Colorado Party candidate Andres Ojeda is gaining momentum, rising from 8% to 15% and aiming to secure a spot in the runoff.
In total, there are 10 candidates, but only Orsi, Delgado, and Ojeda are major contenders.
Voting is mandatory and restricted to Uruguayans, excluding over 500,000 nationals living abroad.
On Sunday, the 3.4 million-strong country will also elect parliamentarians and vote on two referendums on pension reform and public safety.