Tabaré Vázquez

Ramón Vázquez Rosas Tabaré (born 17 January 1940 in Montevideo) is a Uruguayan politician and was between March 2005 and March 2010 President of the South American country. In March 2010, José Mujica followed him as a newly elected President.

Vázquez studied medicine at the Universidad de la República and cancer specialist. Vázquez is since 1971 a member of the Partido Socialista del Uruguay ( Socialist Party of Uruguay ) and was first mayor of the capital, Montevideo. As a candidate of the Frente Amplio ( Broad Front ), a coalition of left-wing parties, he was in 1994 and 1999 presidential candidate. In 1999, he received 48 % of votes.

In the elections in October 2004, he joined again. He won with 50.45 % in the first round against the candidates of the traditional parties Jorge Larrañaga ( Partido Nacional) with 34,30 % and Guillermo Stirling ( Partido Colorado) with 10.36 %. His chances were predicted previously to end the nearly 180 -year-long interplay between the conservative Blancos and Colorados the Liberals. This Vázquez replaced the incumbent president, Jorge Batlle Ibáñez.

Vázquez is committed to a strong welfare state and good relations with Mercosur. In addition, he is keen to maintain good relations with the United States.

In November 2008, Vázquez has a liberalization of abortion stopped by he vetoed a bill from the Frente Amplio. On 4 December, he then resigned due to differences with his party the presidency of the Socialist Party. After a visit of Bolivian President Evo Morales, he announced in July 2009 that he would support the export of leaves of the coca shrub about Uruguay by they would be removed from the list of dangerous drugs ..

In 2011 he published his book Crónica de un amigo times.