Americas News
Uruguayan election starts, former guerrilla fighter tipped to win
Oct 25, 2009, 16:23 GMT
Montevideo - Voting in presidential and parliamentary elections started Sunday morning in Uruguay, with more than 2.5 million Uruguayans eligible to vote.
Jose Mujica, 74 - once a dreaded Tupamaru rebel and now presidential candidate of the ruling Frente Amplio leftist coalition - is tipped to win the presidential poll.
Voters will also be asked to decide in referendums on the removal of amnesty for military and police officers who committed crimes during the dictatorship and voting rights for Uruguayans living overseas.
Opinion polls show Mujica likely to fall short of the 50-per-cent threshold needed to avoid a second round. But he looks well- positioned to win in the event of a runoff, which would be held on November 29 between the top two first-round finishers.
The conservative opposition has rallied around National Party candidate Luis Alberto Lacalle - who is expected to take second place in Sunday's polling.
First election results are expected around 2230 GMT.
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