Uruguay former rebel chief seen to finish first in presidential polls

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Uruguay former rebel chief seen to finish first in presidential polls
Web posted at: 10/22/2009 8:36:37
Source ::: REUTERS

MONTEVIDEO: A left-wing former guerrilla leader is expected to finish first in Uruguay’s presidential election on Sunday but will likely face a run-off as he tries to keep the socialist ruling coalition in power.

Jose Mujica, a blunt-talking senator jailed during a 1973-85 military dictatorship, holds a double-digit lead over his closest rival in a country whose market-friendly policies have made it one of Latin America’s most stable economies along with neighboring Brazil and Chile.

But polls show Mujica falling short of a majority needed to win outright in the first round. Center-right former President Luis Lacalle is running second, trailed by Pedro Bordaberry, another rightist candidate who lags a distant third. A second-round vote, analysts say, could pose a challenge to Mujica, who led the Tupamaros guerrilla movement which battled security forces and kidnapped government officials during the 1960s and early 1970s but has since moderated his politics.

“This is an important test for the left. Mujica is someone who provokes strong feelings from both his supporters and his critics,” said Teresa Herrera, a Uruguayan political analyst.



Read more: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Americas&month=October2009&file=World_News2009102283637.xml

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On edit, adding photo:

http://200.82.82.210.nyud.net:8090/fotos/MUU_1.jpg

The President of Argentina and spouse
on either side of José Mujica

[struggle4progress]

1. Mujica repentant for condemning Uruguay to endure military dictatorship

Tuesday, September 15th 2009 - 1:31 am UTC

... “If belonging to the left means defending a strong government intervention in the economy and a strong state tendency in economic affairs, that’s not for me”, said Mujica adding that the Uruguayan economy, if he wins, will be in the hands of his ticket companion, Danilo Astori, former Economy minister and former Dean of the Uruguay university School of Economics.

“No abrupt changes, no pitching or rolling, nothing of the sort, we are going to continue with the current economic policy which has proved most successful”, promised Mujica.

“I’m more a libertarian than a man who thinks the state is the solution. My Socialist ideas support self-management and I don’t mix it with the power of the state. The job of government is to help with social distribution, to avoid the accumulation of social rust-belts which the market can’t address, and they finish being extremely dear for the rest of the community”.

Mujica added that it’s only natural some businessmen mistrust him, “they have to look after the money; I don’t care who they vote for, we need businessmen to work, to create jobs to help multiply assets…it’s a matter of patience to convince them” ...

http://en.mercopress.com/2009/09/15/mujica-repentant-for-condemning-uruguay-to-endure-military-dictatorship

[Judi Lynn]

2. Uruguay’s Mujica Has 45.5% Support Ahead of Election, Poll Says

Uruguay’s Mujica Has 45.5% Support Ahead of Election, Poll Says
By Bill Faries

Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Former Uruguayan guerilla Jose Mujica leads opposition candidate and ex-President Luis Alberto Lacalle ahead of the country’s Oct. 25 presidential elections, according to a poll by Montevideo-based Equipos Mori.

Mujica, of the ruling Frente Amplio coalition, has 45.5 percent support compared with 27 percent for the National Party’s Lacalle, Equipos Mori said on its Web site. Colorado Party leader Pedro Bordaberry is in third place with 14.3 percent. Another 7.4 percent of voters are undecided. A candidate needs 50 percent support to avoid a Nov. 29 run-off.

The results of the poll are in line with a survey published yesterday by Grupo Radar, which showed Mujica with 44.7 percent support compared with 28.7 percent for Lacalle.

The Equipos Mori survey of 1,200 people was conducted Oct. 15 to Oct. 18 and has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points, the pollster said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=at2ombD8b7QM