Uruguay: Winner of election to be announced by Friday

Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) - The results of Uruguay's Sunday presidential runoff were a virtual tie and too close to call, according to the local media and electoral officials on Monday.

The Electoral Court said the winner would be announced by Friday given that the margin is as narrow as some 30,000 votes, Uruguayan daily El Pais reported.

With 98.1% of the votes tallied, opposition candidate Luis Lacalle Pou of the conservative National Party led the race with 48.73% versus 47.49% for the candidate of the ruling progressive Broad Front, Daniel Martinez.

Lacalle Pou secured 1,145,454 votes while Martinez received 1,116,112 votes.

"We will resume the recount on Tuesday," head of the Electoral Court Jose Arocena said.

The winner will take office on March 1, 2020 for a five-year term.

Uruguay went to polls on Sunday to elect the replacement of Tabare Vasquez as president of the Latin American nation in a second round runoff vote.

The polls opened at 8 a.m. local time (1100GMT) and closed at 7.30 p.m. local time (2230GMT).

Nearly 2.7 million people were deemed eligible to cast their votes.

Martinez prevailed in the first round of the presidential elections with 40% of the vote, according to results at the ballot box.

Lacalle Pou, leader of the opposition National Party, obtained around 29%.

Following the results of the first round, far-right retired officer Manini Rios and the Colorado Party presidential candidate Ernesto Talvi expressed their support for Lacalle Pou in the second round.