by the El Reportero’s news services
Sebastián Piñera
On Jan. 17 Sebastián Piñera, the candidate of the rightwing Coalición por el Cambio, comfortably won the presidential election run-off. Piñera’s win is historic. Not only is he the first rightwing candidate to win the presidency since the restoration of democracy in 1990 (after the Pinochet regime quit power), but he is also the first rightwinger to win the presidency since Jorge Alessandri in 1958.
Eduardo Frei Ruiz Tagle, the defeated candidate (and former president, 1994-2000) of the ruling centre-left Concertación, swiftly conceded defeat. President Michelle Bachelet, a socialist, also congratulated Piñera, who will formally take office on March 11 and hold the presidency until 2014.
Mujica wins Uruguay’s election to retain power for Frente Amplio José Mujica swept to power in the second round of Uruguay’s elections, securing a second consecutive term for the left-wing Frente Amplio coalition. Mujica defeated Luis Alberto Lacalle of the main opposition Partido Nacional (Blancos) by more than ten percentage points. The FA also won a majority in both the lower chamber and the senate, repeating the feat it achieved in 2004 when it became the fi rst governing party in over 50 years to enjoy an absolute majority in both chambers.
