President Luis Lacalle Pou said today that his government will begin the transition process next week with the winning candidate in Sunday’s elections for the Presidency of Uruguay.

The president made the announcement at a press conference after casting his vote at the Teacher Training Institute in the department of Canelones.

He said that the Council of Ministers had been convened for next Tuesday, with the issue of the transition on the agenda.

«From today begins a transition and a kind of sharing of decisions» with whoever is proclaimed winner, Lacalle Pou said.

He said that this will be the case at the next Mercosur summit, to be held in Montevideo on 6 December, «where the president-elect must accompany us».

With regard to internal links within the bloc, he said that he has «good relations» with the presidents of Brazil and Argentina, although «I don’t feel so important» as to mediate between Inácio Lula Da Silva and Javier Milei, he said.

He stressed that he has 97 days left in office and promised to make a final evaluation.

The president reiterated that on this election day two different projects for the country are being voted on, according to the proposals of the contending parties.

Regarding his future, he recalled that in the elections of 27 October he was elected as a senator.

Asked if in five years’ time he would compete again for the presidency of the Republic, he replied that to say yes at the present time would be «nonsense». If I answer no, I would not be telling the truth, he said.