Batlle Ibáñez, Jorge Luis, 1927–2016, Uruguayan political leader, lawyer, and journalist, president of Uruguay (2000–2005). He was a member of the Colorado party, founded by his great uncle, José Batlle y Ordóñez; he and Jorge Batlle's grandfather and father also served as president. First elected to the legislature in 1958, Jorge Batlle ran unsuccessfully for president in 1966 and 1971, then was banned from political activity during Uruguay's de facto military rule (1973–85). Following the country's return to democracy, he was elected to the senate and ran again for the presidency, losing in 1994 but winning in 1999. In office Batlle pursued closer ties with the United States while other South American countries were turning to the left; in 2002 the United States gave Batlle's government a $1.5 billion bridge loan as it awaited International Monetary Fund help during a severe economic recession. He was succeeded as president by leftist Tabaré Vázquez.
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