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Ex-guerrilla fighter Mujica to rule Uruguay
Jose Mujica, a former guerrilla fighter who vows to continue investor-friendly policies, won Uruguay's presidential run-off, solidifying the ruling leftist coalition's hold on power.
With ballots counted at 96 percent of polling stations, Mujica had 53 percent of the vote compared to nearly 43 percent for his conservative rival, former President Luis Lacalle, official results showed.
Lacalle conceded the race more than an hour after polls closed, as pollster projections showed Mujica headed to victory.
Mujica's victory was a testament to the popularity of outgoing President Tabare Vazquez and the political dominance of the Broad Front coalition that has overseen strong economic growth since it came to power four years ago.
"The best publicity we had was Tabare Vazquez," Mujica said in a television interview. "We're going to continue his program."