Hoping to reach out to the business community, Mujica turned to Vazquez’s former economy minister as his vice-presidential running mate.
Danilo Astori won investor praise for his guidance of the largely agricultural-based economy, and Mujica has said he wants Astori to play a key role in shaping economic policy.
Under Vazquez, Uruguay has attracted millions of dollars in foreign investment in soy farming and cattle ranching on the country’s fertile farmland.
In a plebiscite that was held along with the presidential poll, a majority of voters supported upholding a law to shield military and police officers from prosecution on charges of human rights abuses during the dictatorship, exit polls showed.
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