An ex-guerrilla leader who was shot nine times and twice escaped from jail is tipped to become Uruguay's next president.
Jose Mujica, candidate for the incumbent Broad Front party, may get the nod from the country's 2.6 million voters in the first round of balloting.
The 74-year-old needs more than 50% of the vote to avoid a 29 November runoff against either of his main rivals, conservative former president Luis Lacalle, 68, from the National Party, or Pedro Bordaberry, 49, son of the country's 1973-1975 dictator representing the Colorado Party.
Surveys put Mr Mujica, better known in Uruguay by his nickname ‘ Pepe’, well ahead of his rivals and within striking distance of an outright win today.
If Mr Mujica does triumph, analysts believe he will continue left-wing economic policies introduced by outgoing President Tabare Vazquez, who is ending a five-year term on a wave of popularity but who is barred from re-election.
For Mr Mujica, ascending to the presidency would be vindication for the wrongs he suffered under Uruguay's brutal 1973-1985 dictatorship.
As one of the founders of the Tupamaros urban rebel movement, Mr Mujica was shot nine times, and was jailed in 1970 by the country's then-democratic authorities as they set about largely crushing his group.
After twice escaping jail and being recaptured, he ended up behind bars and enduring long periods of solitary confinement as one of the prisoners of the military regime that took power in 1973, in part responding to Tupamaro radicalism.
He was freed under a general amnesty issued in 1985 when democracy was restored.
Married to a senator who is also a former Tupamaro, Mr Mujica became a lawmaker in 1995 after the ex-rebel group became a political party and joined the left-wing Broad Front.
Alongside the presidential balloting today will be a referendum on whether the country should drop an amnesty against military and police personnel accused of crimes during the junta era.
A recent poll shows that 47% of voters back the proposal, and 40% are against.
During the Vazquez government 10 former dictatorship members were sentenced to prison, including Uruguay's last military dictator, Gregorio Alvarez, who was given a 25-year prison sentence for murder and rights violations.
