News about the Americas from this week's Economist

Split decision

Porfirio Lobo of the opposition centre-right National Party won Honduras’scontroversial presidential election with 55% of the vote on a turnout of around 60%. The United States and four Latin American countries said they would recognise the result. Brazil and others said they would not because it legitimised a June coup which ousted Manuel Zelaya from the presidency. See article

In Uruguay’s presidential election, José Mujica, a former guerrilla of the centre-left Broad Front, defeated Luis Alberto Lacalle of the conservative National Party by 53% to 43%. Mr Mujica indicated that he would follow the generally moderate policies adopted by the outgoing Broad Front president, Tabaré Vázquez.

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