International

Uruguay goes to the polls this Sunday to elect president and legislators

About 2.7 million citizens will go to the polls this Sunday to vote for the president and legislators of Uruguay for the period 2025-2030, as well as to pronounce on two plebiscites.

At 8:00 local time (11:00 GMT) voting centers throughout the country will open and voters will be able to vote until 19:30 local time (22:30 GMT), although this could be extended by an hour in case there are still people lining up at the polling stations.

In this instance, in which voting is secret and mandatory, as set by the National Constitution, eleven political parties will seek the Presidency.

The candidates for the Presidency of Uruguay

These are the Broad Front (Yamandú Orsi), the National Party (Álvaro Delgado), the Colorado Party (Andrés Ojeda), the Open Council (Guido Manini Ríos), the Independent Party (Pablo Mieres) and the Radical Intransigent Environmental Party (César Vega).

Also, Sovereign Identity (Gustavo Salle), Popular Assembly (Walter Martínez), the Environmental Constitutional Party (Eduardo Lust), the Party for the Necessary Changes (Guillermo Franchi) and Republican Advance (Martín Pérez Banchero).

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

To become the successor of the current president, Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou, any of the candidates must get more than 50% of the valid votes. Otherwise, the two most voted will advance to a second round, which will take place on Sunday, November 24.

The formation of the Parliament will be defined

Beyond this, this Sunday’s instance will define the formation of Parliament for the period 2025-2030.

Each party will present in the elections its different lists made up of its candidates to integrate the Chamber of Senators (30 members) plus the Vice President of the Republic) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 members).

On the other hand, voters will vote on two plebiscites: one on social security and another on night raids.

Promoted by the PIT-CNT trade union center and supported by social groups, the first of these seeks to change the social security regime of Uruguay, which was changed by law in 2023.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

The plebiscites

The amendment proposes – among other things – the equivalence of retirements and pensions to the national minimum wage, in addition to the possibility that both men and women can access retirement at 60 years of age instead of 65.

In turn, it seeks to eliminate the administrators of social security savings funds so that the Social Security system is managed exclusively by the State.

The second seeks to allow raids at night, which are currently prohibited by article 11 of the National Constitution. He emphasizes that the home is a sacred inviolable and that at night no one will be able to enter it without the consent of their boss.

With the campaign closures carried out days ago, Uruguay of about 3.4 million inhabitants is currently in electoral ban.

Prohibitions

Since Friday, October 25, the parties cannot carry out acts of proselytist propaganda, as indicated by Law 16,019, which was promulgated in 1989.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

On the other hand, from this Saturday the sale of alcohol is prohibited, which cannot be carried out until the voting circuits are closed.

This Sunday, around 21:30 local time (00:30 GMT), the consultants are expected to announce their first projections of the results, while the Electoral Court will begin to upload them on its official website as they are sent from the polling stations.

After being known, the candidates will participate in events in the places where they will wait for them, while in the capital of the country there are already areas of celebrations.

International

Air Canada suspends JFK flights amid soaring fuel costs linked to Iran conflict

Air Canada announced on Friday that it will suspend its flights from Montreal and Toronto to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from June through late October, citing rising jet fuel costs driven by the conflict involving Iran.

“Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, some routes and less profitable flights have become economically unviable, so we are making adjustments accordingly,” the airline said in a statement.

Despite the suspension, the carrier confirmed it will continue operating 34 daily flights from six Canadian cities to New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Air Canada expects to resume its JFK operations after October 25.

Meanwhile, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz amid a temporary ceasefire in the region. However, jet fuel shortages could persist even if the truce holds.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

Fuel accounts for between 25% and 30% of operating costs for most airlines, and carriers worldwide have responded to the crisis by raising fares and suspending select routes due to safety and profitability concerns.

International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.