A Uruguayan police inspector and a newspaper editor have been given permission by the government to fight a duel to the death, recalling the country's colorful dueling past.
A 1920 law allows citizens of the South American country to fight duels, provided they get official sanction. Pistols are the only weapons sanctioned to settle affairs of honor.The last legal duel took place in 1971, and the government has since then turned down all requests for permission to duel.
The challenge was issued by assistant police chief Saul Claveria to Federico Fassano, editor of the daily La Republica, who had run a story linking Claveria to a smuggling case.
Fassano has told the policeman's seconds that he will not retract the offending story and he plans to announce later whether he will accept the challenge.