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Uruguayans are voting to elect a new president to succeed outgoing leader Jose Mujica who is barred by the constitution from running for a second term.

Former President Tabare Vazquez of the Broad Front, Jose Mujica’s left-leaning party, is ahead in opinion polls.

However, neither Tabare Vazquez nor his main challenger, Luis Lacalle Pou of the right-wing National Party, is expected to win outright without a second round.

Pedro Bordaberry of the Colorado Party is trailing a distant third.

Uruguayans will cast ballots for president, vice-president and members of parliament at the same time. The Broad Front could lose its current majority in Congress.

Uruguayans will cast ballots for president, vice-president and members of parliament at the same time

Uruguayans will cast ballots for president, vice-president and members of parliament at the same time

They will also vote in a controversial referendum on whether to lower the age at which a person can be criminally charged as an adult from 18 to 16.

Jose Mujica remains popular after leading Uruguay through economy growth and wage rises, but he is barred by the constitution from running for a second consecutive term.

His government was behind social reforms such as the legalization of marijuana, abortion and gay marriage.

However, critics say Jose Mujica’s government has failed to deal with problems in education, security and environmental protection.

Polls will open from 08:00 local to 19:30.

If no candidate obtains the 50.1% needed to avoid a second round, Uruguayans will choose between the two leading candidates on November 30.

Tabare Vazquez served as president of Uruguay from 2005 to 2010 while Luis Lacalle Pou is the son of a former president.

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Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica has insulted FIFA over Luis Suarez’s four-month ban.

Jose Mujica, 79, described the punishment, which also included a suspension for nine international matches, as a “fascist ban”.

Luis Suarez received the harshest sanction in World Cup history for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Jose Mujica is renowned for his plain-speaking manner.

President Jose Mujica has insulted FIFA over Luis Suarez's four-month ban

President Jose Mujica has insulted FIFA over Luis Suarez’s four-month ban

The president made the comments to state TV at a reception for the Uruguay team, following their elimination from the World Cup last 16 by Colombia.

Jose Mijica covered his mouth to feign shock at what he had said, but told journalists to “publish it” when asked if he wanted to rectify his remarks.

He admitted that Luis Suarez deserved to be disciplined, but said his suspension was too harsh.

“They could have punished him, but not given him this fascist ban,” he said.

The former leftist guerrilla had previously said Luis Suarez was being punished by FIFA because of his humble background.

President Jose Mujica also denounced the ban in his weekly radio address as an “eternal shame” in the history of the World Cup.

Uruguay’s team suffered a 2-0 defeat in their last-16 tie against Colombia after being forced to do without their star striker because of the ban.

Uruguay’s football federation said it would appeal against FIFA’s punishment.

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Luis Suarez has received support from World Cup winner Diego Maradona, while his biting victim, Giorgio Chiellini, branded the ban “excessive”.

The Uruguayan is not allowed to train with his club or enter a football stadium yet Spanish side Barcelona remains interested in signing the player from Liverpool.

For their part, Liverpool are seeking legal advice after being denied the services of last season’s leading Premier League scorer until the end of October.

Meanwhile, online gambling firm 888poker says it has terminated its relationship with Suarez with immediate effect.

Suarez, who flew back to the Uruguayan capital Montevideo in the early hours of Friday morning, denied the allegations following his clash with Giorgio Chiellini, claiming the centre-back had bumped into him.

However, FIFA decided he was guilty and gave him the longest ban in World Cup history.

Luis Suarez has received support from World Cup winner Diego Maradona

Luis Suarez has received support from World Cup winner Diego Maradona (photo Telesur)

Luis Suarez also received a nine-match international suspension and a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs.

Writing on his personal website, Giorgio Chiellini, 29, said: “I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies but, at the same time, I believe that the proposed formula is excessive.

“Now inside me there’s no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Suarez for an incident that happened on the pitch and that’s done. There only remains the anger and the disappointment about the match.

“At the moment my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period.”

Former Argentina captain and coach Diego Maradona declared his support for Luis Suarez on his television show De Zurda on Thursday night.

“The FIFA sanction is shameful, they have no sensitivity towards the fans, they might as well handcuff him and throw him in Guantanamo,” said Diego Maradona, who was wearing a T-shirt bearing the message, “Luis, we are with you”.

“It hurts that they have cut short the career of a lad who is a winner. It’s an excessive suspension, FIFA cannot talk about morals to anyone.

“Suarez didn’t kill anyone. This is an unjust punishment, the act of an incredible mafia.”

Diego Maradona interviewed Uruguay’s president Jose Mujica during the program, broadcast on Telesur TV.

“We Uruguayans are full of anger, those coming from below do not understand anything,” said Jose Mujica.

“We kicked out Italy and England, no doubt they lost a lot of money.”

Jose Mujica claimed FIFA used “a different standard” to judge certain countries.

“That’s what hurts and angers us the most,” he added.

Uruguay will play Colombia in the last 16 on Saturday after qualifying from Group D behind Costa Rica.

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Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica has apologized for apparently referring to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an “old hag”.

In a radio interview Jose Mujica offered “heartfelt apologies” and blamed the quip on his “rough language skills”.

Last week, Jose Mujica was overheard saying: “This old hag is even worse than the cross-eyed man.”

It was claimed that the Uruguayan president referred to Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her late husband, whom she succeeded as president.

Cristina Fernandez’s husband, Nestor Kirchner, had a lazy eye. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2010.

Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica has apologized for apparently referring to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an old hag

Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica has apologized for apparently referring to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an old hag

The comments, meant to be private, were accidentally caught and recorded by a nearby open microphone.

Jose Mujica’s words caused outrage in Argentina and led to an official protest.

In an interview to radio M24 on Thursday, Jose Mujica put the comments down to his “rough” past life in an armed group.

“We can’t avoid that our daily and intimate manner of speaking is sometimes rough,” the president said, adding that it has been shaped by spending many years in prison cells and detention.

“This kind of language is miles away from public speeches, from the press. It has only to do with intimate relationships between very few.”

Jose Mujica made the controversial comments at the start of a news conference while speaking quietly to another official.

El Observador newspaper posted the audio on its website, claiming that the president did not realize that the microphones were on.

The newspaper said that its website had crashed because of historically high levels of traffic generated by its coverage of the incident. It also gained the attention of social media.

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman summoned the Uruguayan ambassador in Buenos Aires, Guillermo Pomi, to protest about the comments.

Correspondents say that President Jose Mujica, 77, who took office in 2010, has clashed in the past both with Cristina Fernandez and Nestor Kirchner.

Relations between Uruguay and Argentina have recently been strained because of concern in Montevideo over what it sees as protectionist measures enforced by Buenos Aires.

Nestor Kirchner was Argentina’s president from 2003 to 2007. His wife, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner succeeded him and won re-election in 2011.

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Argentina has made an official protest after Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica was caught on microphone apparently referring to President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an “old hag”.

President Jose Mujica was overheard saying: “This old hag is even worse than the one-eyed man.” (Esta vieja es peor que el tuerto.)

A Uruguayan newspaper has posted audio of Jose Mujica’s comments on its website.

It has claimed that Jose Mujica was referring to Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her late husband, who she succeeded as president.

Cristina Fernandez’s husband, Nestor Kirchner, had a lazy eye. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2010.

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica was caught on microphone apparently referring to Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an old hag

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica was caught on microphone apparently referring to Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an old hag

President Jose Mujica has denied that he had been talking about the Kirchners, but has so far failed to explain who else he was referring to.

Jose Mujica made the comments at the start of a news conference while speaking quietly with another official.

El Observador newspaper posted the audio on its website, claiming that the president did not realize that the microphones were on.

The newspaper said that its website has crashed because of historically high levels of traffic generated by its coverage of the incident which has also gained the attention of social media.

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman summoned the Uruguayan ambassador in Buenos Aires, Guillermo Pomi, to protest about the comments.

“It is unacceptable that derogatory comments that offend the memory… of a deceased person, who cannot defend himself, have been made, particularly by someone to whom Nestor Kirchner considered his friend,” a statement issued by the foreign ministry said.

Correspondents say that President Jose Mujica, 77, a former guerrilla leader who took office in 2010, has clashed in the past both with Cristina Fernandez and Nestor Kirchner.

Relations between Uruguay and Argentina have recently been strained because of concern in Montevideo over what it sees as protectionist measures enforced by Buenos Aires.

Nestor Kirchner was Argentina’s president from 2003 to 2007. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner succeeded him and won re-election in 2011.

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It’s a common grumble that politicians’ lifestyles are far removed from those of their electorate. Not so in Uruguay. Meet the president – who lives on a ramshackle farm and gives away most of his pay. Jose Mujica.

Laundry is strung outside the house. The water comes from a well in a yard, overgrown with weeds. Only two police officers and Manuela, a three-legged dog, keep watch outside.

This is the residence of the president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, whose lifestyle clearly differs sharply from that of most other world leaders.

President Jose Mujica has shunned the luxurious house that the Uruguayan state provides for its leaders and opted to stay at his wife’s farmhouse, off a dirt road outside the capital, Montevideo.

The president and his wife work the land themselves, growing flowers.

This austere lifestyle – and the fact that Jose Mujica donates about 90% of his monthly salary, equivalent to $12,000, to charity – has led him to be labeled the poorest president in the world.

“I’ve lived like this most of my life,” Jose Mujica says, sitting on an old chair in his garden, using a cushion favored by Manuela the dog.

“I can live well with what I have.”

His charitable donations – which benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs – mean his salary is roughly in line with the average Uruguayan income of $775 a month.

In 2010, his annual personal wealth declaration – mandatory for officials in Uruguay – was $1,800, the value of his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.

This year, Jose Mujica added half of his wife’s assets – land, tractors and a house – reaching $215,000.

That’s still only about two-thirds of Vice-President Danilo Astori’s declared wealth, and a third of the figure declared by Jose Mujica’s predecessor as president, Tabare Vasquez.

Elected in 2009, Jose Mujica spent the 1960s and 1970s as part of the Uruguayan guerrilla Tupamaros, a leftist armed group inspired by the Cuban revolution.

He was shot six times and spent 14 years in jail. Most of his detention was spent in harsh conditions and isolation, until he was freed in 1985 when Uruguay returned to democracy.

Those years in jail, Jose Mujica says, helped shape his outlook on life.

President Jose Mujica has shunned the luxurious house that the Uruguayan state provides for its leaders and opted to stay at his wife's farmhouse, off a dirt road outside the capital, Montevideo

President Jose Mujica has shunned the luxurious house that the Uruguayan state provides for its leaders and opted to stay at his wife’s farmhouse, off a dirt road outside the capital, Montevideo

“I’m called <<the poorest president>>, but I don’t feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more,” he says.

“This is a matter of freedom. If you don’t have many possessions then you don’t need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them, and therefore you have more time for yourself,” Jose Mujica says.

“I may seem a mad and eccentric old man. But this is a free choice.”

The Uruguayan leader made a similar point when he addressed the Rio+20 summit in June this year: “We’ve been talking all afternoon about sustainable development. To get the masses out of poverty.

“But what are we thinking? Do we want the model of development and consumption of the rich countries? I ask you now: what would happen to this planet if Indians would have the same proportion of cars per household than Germans? How much oxygen would we have left?

“Does this planet have enough resources so seven or eight billion can have the same level of consumption and waste that today is seen in rich societies? It is this level of hyper-consumption that is harming our planet.”

Jose Mujica accuses most world leaders of having a “blind obsession to achieve growth with consumption, as if the contrary would mean the end of the world”.

But however large the gulf between the vegetarian Jose Mujica and these other leaders, he is no more immune than they are to the ups and downs of political life.

“Many sympathize with President Mujica because of how he lives. But this does not stop him for being criticized for how the government is doing,” says Ignacio Zuasnabar, a Uruguayan pollster.

The Uruguayan opposition says the country’s recent economic prosperity has not resulted in better public services in health and education, and for the first time since Jose Mujica’s election in 2009 his popularity has fallen below 50%.

This year Jose Mujica has also been under fire because of two controversial moves. Uruguay’s Congress recently passed a bill which legalized abortions for pregnancies up to 12 weeks. Unlike his predecessor, Jose Mujica did not veto it.

He is also supporting a debate on the legalization of the consumption of cannabis, in a bill that would also give the state the monopoly over its trade.

“Consumption of cannabis is not the most worrying thing, drug-dealing is the real problem,” he says.

However, Jose Mujica doesn’t have to worry too much about his popularity rating – Uruguayan law means he is not allowed to seek re-election in 2014. Also, at 77, he is likely to retire from politics altogether before long.

When he does, Jose Mujica will be eligible for a state pension – and unlike some other former presidents, he may not find the drop in income too hard to get used to.

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