Uruguay's long-dominant leftist ruling party is facing defeat in a presidential election run-off on Sunday as the small South American country prepares to swing to the right.
Opinion polls showed that Luis Lacalle Pou, the 46-year-old leader of the center-right National Party, is likely to win as voters appear set to turn the page on 15 years of leftist rule.
Lacalle Pou, a senator, trailed the ruling Broad Front candidate Daniel Martinez in last month's first round, but a pact with center-right and right-wing parties following simultaneous legislative elections has given him a majority in Congress as well as a significant lead heading into the run-off.
"Polls suggest he has a 6-8 point lead, although the result may well tighten," said Robert Wood, Latin America manager for the Economist Intelligence Unit.
A win for the right would "reflect a trend in the region of voters rejecting the incumbent party over disappointing results."