10 Facts about Luis Lacalle Pou |Analysis|teleSUR

10 Facts about Luis Lacalle Pou

He is the National Party candidate for president in Uruguay who will compete with Tabare Vazquez on Sunda in runoff elections. He is known for his hardline opposition that echoed that of his father (former president) against socialism.

The primaries held on October 26 in Uruguay were won by the Broad Front presidential candidate Tabara Vazquez with a 47.81 percent margin. Luis Lacalle Pou took second place, flag bearer of his National Party, with 30.88 percent of the votes. The two will compete in run-off elections on Sunday.

Here are ten facts about Lacalle Pou:

1. He was born in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo in 1973.

2. He is a lawyer by profession (1998), having obtained his doctorate degree at the Catholic University of Montevideo.

3. He is the son of the former president of Uruguay Luis Alberto Lacalle (1991-1995), ardent anti-socialist, and of María Julia Pou, who served as senator for the National Party.

3. While he showed political aspirations at a very young age, his current goals of pursuing the presidency are quite recent.

4. He has been married to Lorena Ponce de Leon (a professional landscape artist) for fourteen years, and has three children: Luis Alberto, Violeta and Manuel.

5. His presidential campaign message is “taking things in a positive direction."

6. He was elected Representative of the Republic from 2000 to 2005, from 2005 to 2010 and again from 2010 to 2015 in the 400 List of the National Party ticket.

7. From March 1,2011 to February 29, 2012, he served as President of the Chamber of Representatives.

8. Currently, he is a member of the Commission of Internal Affairs of the Chamber of Representatives and the member of the Commission on the Constitution, Codes, General Legislation and Administration of the General Assembly of the nation.

9. His critics maintain that his political discourse is superficial and does not propose any far-reaching objectives. His critics also have voiced concerns that despite his attitude and constructive demeanor, during his parliamentary term, he did not support the ruling party initiatives he is now defending.

10. During a debate, he once admitted to having consumed marijuana and cocaine in his youth while his father was president. Based on this premise, he proposed to legalize the personal cultivation of marijuana.