Uruguayan opposition led by Lacalle Pou wins election

An Uruguayan opposition figure won Sunday's presidential runoff election after the ruling party of conceded defeat on Thursday.

Daniel Martinez congratulated Luis Lacalle Pou on Twitter and added that they would meet tomorrow.

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 was as narrow as some 30,000 votes, Uruguayan daily El Pais reported.

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

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

As the winner, Lacalle Pou 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.

Martinez prevailed in the first round of the presidential elections with 40% of the vote, while Lacalle Pou obtained around 29%, according to results at the ballot box.

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.