
Uruguay's ruling coalition Broad Front presidential candidate Tabare Vazquez underlined on Sunday night that his political force received the most votes and is in the threshold of again having a parliamentary majority; however he anticipated he was willing to work to reach consensuses in political and social issues with other parties or groupings.

On Sunday 2.6 million Uruguayan registered voters will decide who will be their next president plus 30 Senators and 99 Lower House members. If no presidential candidate makes 50% of valid ballots plus one, the most probable result a run off takes place at the end of November between the two most voted candidates.

Uruguay president Jose Mujica believes that the next parliament to emerge from the 26 October general election will have a difficult conformation, complicating the government's performance and that is the reason why he accepted to run for a Senate seat.

Uruguay's lower house passed a marijuana legalization bill on Wednesday which now must be discussed by the Senate, most probably in October. The vote brings Uruguay one step closer to becoming the first country to legally regulate production, distribution and sale of the drug.

The Argentine government on Wednesday promulgated the tax agreement reached with Uruguay geared to lower fiscal evasion and elusion plus avoiding double taxing for residents from the neighbouring countries.

Fifteen Spanish flagged fishing vessels will no longer operate in Montevideo because labour claims disputes with crew members can include vessel seizures or significant collateral deposits demands by the Uruguayan justice before they can return to sea.