According to a Cifra survey released this weekend in Montevideo, Uruguay has 11% of swing voters who could end up pivotal in Oct. 27's presidential elections. Hence, political parties should focus on winning them over, the pollsters underlined. Cifra Director Mariana Pomiés underlined that this number could tip the scale at the end of the day.
Colorado Party presidential candidate Andrés Ojeda chose a controversial analogy this weekend to refer to Uruguay's situation within the South American Common Market (Mercosur). He claimed it was affecting his country's credibility not to kill any hostage when hijacking airplanes.
Montevideo's Carrasco International Airport is undergoing a US$ 20 million technological update that will allow instrument landings (ILS) with zero visibility, it was announced at the Uruguayan capital Thursday. Hence, flight delays are expected to be cut down, it was explained.
Paraguayan carrier Paranair Tuesday performed the maiden flight between the Uruguayan cities of Montevideo and Salto, thus marking the beginning of a new era in commercial aviation with foreign operators serving domestic routes.
Uruguayan Foreign Ministry Omar Paganini Monday underlined Israel's right to self-defense on the first anniversary of the Hamas raids in which over 1,000 people were killed and over 200 taken hostage to the Gaza Strip, thus triggering Tel Aviv's full-scale military response. Montevideo's top diplomat also expressed his concern given the number of civilian casualties and forced displacements while urging all parties to de-escalate the conflict.
According to a Usina de Percepción Ciudadana survey released this week in Montevideo, opposition candidate Yamandú Orsi of the Broad Front (Frente Amplio - FA) would defeat Álvaro Delgado of the ruling Multicolor coalition by 6 percentage points. In case of a runoff, Orsi is expected to garner 50% of the vote, the study found between September 27 and 30 from a sample of 500 people.
Uruguay's presidential hopeful Yamandú Orsi of the Broad Front (Frente Amplio - FA) and his running mate Carolina Cosse were in Buenos Aires this week in a campaign maneuver seeking to lure residents in neighboring Argentina to cross the pond and vote for him in the Oct. 27 elections.
Experts in the Uruguayan capital said Monday that the use of bicycles in Montevideo has gone up by 70% since the cycling lanes were inaugurated last year. The lanes for bicycles and other non-motorized means of transport such as skateboards and rollerblades, operational since December, have been deemed a success.
Uruguay's Foreign Ministry announced Friday it was recalling Ambassador Federico Perazza from Stockholm, who was handed down a 6-month suspension without pay after it was determined that he had incurred very serious administrative offenses which included the use of mission money for personal expenses, in addition to the inappropriate use of the official car and the mistreatment of Embassy officials.
Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou Thursday urged the United Nations General Assembly in New York to pay attention to the Venezuelan crisis sparked by Nicolás Maduro's unsupported victory claims in the July 28 elections. “The time has come to act for Venezuela,” the National Party leader underlined.