MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan observer in Falklands’ referendum: “voting is a human right that supports freedom of expression”

Trobo was replying to criticisms from Uruguay’s Minister of Defence

“Voting is a human right and electoral observation does not validate a thing, it is a simple act of analyzing if those conditions people have proposed for the ballot event, are fully complied” said Uruguayan lawmaker Jaime Trobo currently in the Falklands for the referendum on the Islands political status and future.

The Falklands’ referendum and its repercussions have become headline in world media and also in Uruguay, which has mixed feelings about the people’s right to vote and decide on their future, and Argentina’s claim over the disputed South Atlantic Islands.

Members from the Uruguayan cabinet blasted the two Uruguayan opposition lawmakers for travelling to the Falklands: “shameful for the country”, they affirmed.

However Trobo said that “those who have spoken against this participation of us, if they ever are invited to be observers they are only going to justify that those conditions which legitimize an election have been accomplished, completely different is whatever the result is, and this does not mean validating it”.

“Those (ministerial) comments are the result of a very brief analysis, short minded and baseless; I believe voting is a human right that supports free expression, even when some justify voting in regimes that only tolerate an only party”, said Trobo.

“How can it not be valid for someone to express and decide on what they want for their future?” asked the Uruguayan lawmaker who then added that “whether this is recognized or not by the rest is a different game, but I can’t believe that there are still certain characters (in Uruguay) who sustain that people don’t have a right to express their opinion on an issue”.

Likewise Trobo said that he was completely against the thesis of blockading the Malvinas that is used by both sides indifferently to support their positions.

“I think Uruguay can’t ignore reality and does not have to ask permission from anybody, our duty as politicians is to be informed and according to our country’s tradition we can’t be far, but rather closer as close as possible to what is happening with the people in the Malvinas”.

When asked specifically about comments from Uruguay’s Defence minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro who said that Uruguay’s only position was in support of Argentina’s sovereignty claim and criticized the trip of the two lawmakers and their party for allowing them, Trobo considered the statements as “impertinent” and clearly shows a style of making politics.

“This minister is accustomed to aggressions, and I won’t tolerate that because of me he makes extensive rude and inappropriate statements about my party. Mr. Fernandez Huidobro is not going to determine if the National party is serious or not”, concluded Trobo.