Uruguayans vote in presidential runoff

MONTEVIDEO - Uruguayans voted on Sunday in a presidential runoff between progressive ruling party candidate Daniel Martinez and his conservative opponent Luis Lacalle Pou, as no one received a majority in a first-round vote last month.

"Slightly past 12:30 pm local time (1530 GMT), 45 percent of the electorate already voted," Pablo Klappenbach, an election official, told Xinhua.

Lacalle Pou, of the National Party (PN), was considered the favorite according to polls, as the candidate represents a "multicolored coalition" that gathers five parties.

Some 2.7 million Uruguayans are eligible to vote for a successor to President Tabare Vazquez of the Broad Front (FA).

As he cast his vote in Montevideo, the FA's Martinez told reporters he was "totally at peace."

"It's all been played, and now it's time to wait respectfully, democratically and good naturedly," he said.

The 62-year-old former mayor of Montevideo said he was "satisfied with the campaign," and hoped Uruguayans continue to "deepen democracy."

Lacalle Pou, 46, a son of former President Luis Alberto Lacalle, went into the runoff with some 50 percent support among voters, versus 44 percent for Martinez, polls showed.

The FA won the first-round vote on Oct 27 with 40 percent of the votes out of a more crowded field of candidates, but lost its majority in Congress for the first time since 2005.

Lacalle Pou garnered 29 percent of the votes in the initial round, but picked up another 23 percent when two other major parties threw their support behind him.

Initial results of the runoff are expected to be announced at 11 pm local time (0200 GMT Monday), with 90 percent of the ballots tallied.

The winner will take office on March 1, 2020 for a five-year term.