MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan president Vazquez the most popular leader of the country

The president has suggested he might run again in 2014.

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez is the political leader with the highest popular support in the country, 61%, with only five months left to the end of his five year mandate. Vazquez is also the first president elected in Uruguay with a Socialist ticket.

A survey from Equipos-Mori has the vice-president candidate of the ruling coalition presidential ticket, Danilo Astori, as the second most popular with 50% of support and his running mate Jose Mujica with 49%.

Former guerrilla leader and ex Minister of Agriculture Mujica during the five years of the ruling coalition was always only second to President Vazquez.

The outgoing president is giving evidence of a strong political capital which will certainly help the fractious ruling coalition if it is victorious in October 25th general election. He even suggested he would consider running again in 2014. In Uruguay presidential re-election is constitutionally banned.

The main opposition party leaders and candidates for this month’s election, former president Luis Alberto Lacalle and his vice-president candidate and Senator Jorge Larrañaga figure with 38% and 36% respectively.

Pedro Bordaberry from the Colorado Party has 31% approval, even when his party only garners a modest 13% vote intention for this month’s election.

Equipos-Mori also points out that Vazquez approval rate of 61% jumps to 71% regarding “his communication capacity with the people”.

Vazquez will hand the presidential sash next March first to whoever wins on October 25th. However if the presidential candidate most voted does not reach 50% plus one, a run-off will take place at the end of November.

Since the return of democracy to Uruguay (1984), Vazquez has been the outgoing president with the highest support.