Tupac Lives

Jesse Walker | November 1, 2004

Elsewhere in the Americas, another election:

Uruguay has made a historic political shift in electing its first leftist president, Tabare Vazquez, and giving his coalition a majority in Congress to face rebuilding the country after its recent economic crisis.

With nearly all votes tallied Monday morning, the charismatic 64-year-old doctor had 50.7 percent of the vote, slightly more than the 50 percent plus one vote needed to win in first-round balloting.

...the new government is betting on fresh investment to rebuild industry in addition to ranching and banking. Taking a page from the book of the market-friendly leftist Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vazquez has told investors there will be no upheaval and Uruguay will honor its $11 billion in foreign debt.