Lacalle Herrera, Luis Alberto, 1941–, Uruguayan political leader, president of Uruguay (1990–95). A lawyer and member of the conservative National (Blanco) party, he worked as a journalist and served in the chamber of representatives from 1972 to 1973, when President Bordaberry Arocena assumed dictatorial powers and parliament was dissolved. An opponent of the military regime in power from 1976, Lacalle Herrera escaped an assasination attempt with poisoned wine in 1978. After democracy's restoration, he was elected to the senate (1985–90) and served as its vice president. He was elected president of Uruguay in Nov., 1989, running as the candidate of his Herrerismo faction of the National party. A proponent of free markets and free trade, he helped establish Mercosur in 1991. He later served as chairman of the National party (1999–2004, 2009–11) and as a senator (2010–15), and mounted unsuccessful presidential bids in 1999, 2004, and 2009.
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