Uruguay's last military dictator was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday for the role he played in the brutal oppression of the early eighties. On Sunday, the country will decide whether hundreds of others involved can also be brought to justice.

Eighty-three-year-old Gregory Alvarez, who led the country's dictatorial regime from 1981 to 1985, was charged with 37 "aggravated homicides". He follows eight others involved in the 1973-1985 regime who have so far been sentenced. They will be the first and last, however, if in a referendum held simultaneously with Sunday's presidential election, the electorate votes to uphold a law that protects the remaining hundreds of military officials involved.   

Around 6,000 people were imprisoned for "political reasons" during the regime, meaning that one in every 500 citizens was imprisoned at some point. On top of that, 300,000, or ten percent of the population, fled the country.

To give a "yes" to annulling the protection law, voters are asked to place a pink ballot slip inside their voting envelope. The poll will need a 50% turnout to be validated. Two decades into democracy, the issue remains a controversial one. But on Tuesday (Oct. 20), some 60,000 people filed into the streets of Montevideo, completely donned in pink, in support of the vote.

UPDATE (27/10/09 - 9pm Paris time): exit polls indicate that only 47.36 % voted in favour of repealing the amnesty law. Former guerrilla fighter Jose Mujica won 48% of the presidential vote. He will face a second round against centre-right Luis Alberto Lacalle on 29 November.