Uruguay ex-president Tabaré Vazquez wins a second term, saving state-run marijuana

Uruguay ex-president Tabaré Vazquez wins a second term, saving state-run marijuana
(Image credit: iStock)

Tabaré Vazquez, an oncologist who was Uruguay's president from 2005 to 2010, won another term in Sunday's runoff election, defeating Luis Lacalle Pou of the center-right National party, 53 percent to 40 percent. Vazquez's victory extended the rule of his leftist Broad Front coalition — outgoing President Jose Mujica is also a member — and preserves Uruguay's first-of-its-kind national government-run marijuana market.

Lacalle Pou had vowed to dismantle the state-run pot market, popular among visitors but less so in Uruguay, while allowing Uruguayans to grow marijuana plants. Vazquez said he will continue with the rollout of the national weed marketplace, unless it has negative repercussions. During his first term, Vazquez set one day a week aside to treat patients; this time, the 74-year-old doctor says he will give up medicine to govern.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.