Tabare Vazquez was sworn in as president of Uruguay Sunday, returning to office a decade after first leading the centre left catch-all coalition to power and drawing a curtain on folksy farmer Jose Mujica's colorful rule. Vazquez, a cancer doctor with a more buttoned-down style than the outspoken Mujica, won 53.6% of the vote in a November 30 presidential run-off, reclaiming the office he previously held from 2005 to 2010.
President Nicolas Maduro said his government had captured American citizens involved in espionage activities, and said US citizens in the future will have to seek visas to come to Venezuela. Speaking during a rally, he said his government will prohibit some US officials from entering Venezuela in retaliation for a similar measure by the government of President Barack Obama against a group of Venezuelan public officials.
Uruguay's president Jose Mujica and elected president Tabare Vazquez will attend the inauguration, on January first, of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff second consecutive mandate in Brasilia. The two leaders received an official invitation from the Rousseff administration according to Uruguay's official media.
New regulations for broadcast media about to be signed into law shortly. President-elect Tabare Vazquez also supports the move.
High inflation, relatively weak economic growth and an exhausted growth model are forecasted for Uruguayan president-elect Tabare Vazquez second administration as of next March, according to the latest report from two Capital Economics analysts.
Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated on Monday Uruguayan president-elect Tabare Vazquez on his Sunday victory, and said that the US looks forward to working with the new administration and to continue advancing with the vibrant relationship we have had under the leadership of President Jose Mujica.
Buenos Aires province governor Daniel Scioli who on Sunday travelled to Montevideo to congratulate elected president Tabare Vazquez, unknowingly was the first person to officially confirm the victory of Uruguay's next leader a few minutes after voting booths were closed.
An hour after voting booths were closed on Sunday, and when exit polls confirmed former Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez had been elected by a wide margin as the next leader of the country, Luis Lacalle Pou rang the winner to congratulate him and wish him the best for the country.
On Sunday Uruguayan voters will confirm in a runoff the country's next president, which according to all forecasts will be Tabare Vazquez. An oncologist by training, former president (2005/2009) and former mayor of the City of Montevideo, Vazquez and the Broad Front coalition was just less than three percentage points short of the needed 50% in the first round on October 26.
Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Luis Almagro highlighted that Mercosur is the “main buyer” of Uruguayan exports and strongly defended the country's presence in the regional group, a controversial issue since much of the country's political system and most of the business community want a more dynamic, open trade block.