Left-wing candidate Yamandú Orsi has been elected president of Uruguay, defeating center-right rival Álvaro Delgado in a closely contested election, official results confirmed.
With 94.4% of the ballots counted, Orsi secured 1,123,420 votes, surpassing Delgado’s 1,042,001, according to the country’s Electoral Court.
Delgado conceded defeat, marking the end of five years of conservative leadership in Uruguay. “Today, Uruguayans have decided who will hold the presidency of the republic,” Delgado said in a speech surrounded by supporters. “I send a big hug and congratulations to Yamandú Orsi.”
Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor with a working-class background, is regarded as the political heir to former President José “Pepe” Mujica, an iconic figure and former Marxist guerrilla leader.
“He comes from ordinary workers,” Mujica said in a campaign ad for Orsi. “He represents, precisely, the average type of what Uruguay is.”
A Vision for a “New Left”
Orsi has pledged to build a “new left” in Uruguay, proposing a mix of progressive and pragmatic policies. His platform includes tax incentives to attract investment, industrial policies to strengthen the vital agricultural sector, and social security reforms. While his plan to adjust the retirement age seeks to address demographic challenges, it stops short of the sweeping changes advocated by labor unions.
Orsi’s victory reflects a shift in the political landscape, with voters expressing a desire for change and a new direction for the country.
