URUGUAY 2009: DE TABARé VáZQUEZ A JOSé MUJICA

uruguayan politics, during 2009, was focused in political competition. in june, parties selected their presidential candidates in open primaries. in october, frente amplio succeeded in sustaining the majority in congress. in november, at run-off, josé mujica (candidate of frente amplio) defeated luis alberto lacalle (partido nacional). despite de centrality of electoral competition, congress passed some important laws, like the creation of a third level of government (municipios). president tabaré vázquez had a leading role during the year, and finished his mandate with a high level of popularity. despite his personal history as guerrillero and have, promised a "tum to the left" during the internal presidential campaign in the fa, mujica's government offers more continuity than change vis-à-vis vázquez policies.