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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ex-militant wins Uruguay election | Ex-militant wins Uruguay election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A former left-wing militant who spent almost 15 years in prison during the country's military rule appears to have won the presidential elections. | A former left-wing militant who spent almost 15 years in prison during the country's military rule appears to have won the presidential elections. |
| Reliable exit polls give Jose Mujica, 74, just over 50% of the vote in a run-off poll. | Reliable exit polls give Jose Mujica, 74, just over 50% of the vote in a run-off poll. |
| His main rival and former President Luis Alberto Lacalle has conceded. | |
| Mr Mujica succeeds a popular head of state, Tabare Vazquez, who has been in power for the last five years as Uruguay's first left-wing president. | Mr Mujica succeeds a popular head of state, Tabare Vazquez, who has been in power for the last five years as Uruguay's first left-wing president. |
| With his election victory, Mr Mujica has completed his transformation from left wing rebel to statesman. | With his election victory, Mr Mujica has completed his transformation from left wing rebel to statesman. |
| A plain-speaking maverick, who lives a frugal life and enjoys gardening, Mr Mujica's election is being seen as an expression of the desire for left-wing continuity. | A plain-speaking maverick, who lives a frugal life and enjoys gardening, Mr Mujica's election is being seen as an expression of the desire for left-wing continuity. |
| Mr Lacalle was a conservative former president whose administration was mired in corruption. | Mr Lacalle was a conservative former president whose administration was mired in corruption. |
| Consensus bid | Consensus bid |
| During military rule prior to 1985, Mr Mujica spent many years in prison. | During military rule prior to 1985, Mr Mujica spent many years in prison. |
| He was often held in harsh conditions, even spending two years confined to the bottom of a well. | He was often held in harsh conditions, even spending two years confined to the bottom of a well. |
| But Mr Mujica acknowledges that those years of imprisonment cured him of pursuing armed struggle. | But Mr Mujica acknowledges that those years of imprisonment cured him of pursuing armed struggle. |
| He has instead sought to build political consensus, successfully bringing the Tupamaro movement into the governing Broad Front coalition. | He has instead sought to build political consensus, successfully bringing the Tupamaro movement into the governing Broad Front coalition. |