Uruguay beacon of stability

Nestled between Brazil, where supporters of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro attacked federal buildings after his ousting, and Argentina, where the opposition leader calls libertarian leader Javier Milei a "little dictator," is a country where defeated presidential candidates rush to congratulate and even "hug" the victor.

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Montevideo -

Welcome to Uruguay, a beacon of stability on a continent rocked by gang violence and political instability, where a former history teacher was elected president last Sunday on a promise not to rock the boat.

The second and final round of Uruguay's presidential election, in which Yamandu Orsi won back the presidency for the left after five years of centre-right rule, was hailed as proof of the enduring power of the country's consensus-driven political culture.

Election day passed off peacefully, with 90% of voters in the country of 3.4 million casting a ballot, and the centre-right candidate Alvaro Delgado was gracious in defeat.