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Uruguay's ruling Broad Front coalition divided over Venezuela

Monday, November 16th 2015 - 07:10 UTC
Full article 3 comments
OAS chief Almagro and former Uruguayan ex foreign minister sent a letter to Venezuelan electoral authorities calling for transparent elections OAS chief Almagro and former Uruguayan ex foreign minister sent a letter to Venezuelan electoral authorities calling for transparent elections
Mujica said he was confident that Venezuela can solve its problems and “find their destiny”. He added “I do not like political prisoners anywhere on earth!” Mujica said he was confident that Venezuela can solve its problems and “find their destiny”. He added “I do not like political prisoners anywhere on earth!”
Venezuela's head of the National Assembly called Almagro a “traitor” and head of the “most corrupt” (OAS) organization in the world Venezuela's head of the National Assembly called Almagro a “traitor” and head of the “most corrupt” (OAS) organization in the world

The strong 16 pages long letter sent by OAS (Organization of American States) secretary general Luis Almagro to Venezuelan electoral officials calling for transparency, international observers and freeing political prisoners, ahead of December 6 legislative elections, triggered an immediate furious insulting reaction from Venezuela's strongman Diosdado Cabello, but also again exposed a growing rift in the Uruguayan government.

 In effect Luis Almagro was Uruguayan former president Jose Mujica foreign minister and as such very close to the Chavista regime and president Nicolas Maduro, following the instructions of his leader, and his own declared convictions. However as OAS chief he has a mandate to comply with a greater consensus and rules, and thus the letter.

Asked about the letter and speaking from Colombia former president “Pepe” Mujica said he was confident that Venezuela can solve its problems and “find their destiny.” The senator added emphatically: “I do not like political prisoners anywhere on earth!”

“I believe that the Venezuelans have to fix the problems between themselves and my attitude is always focused on that.” Mujica said.

However fellow Broad Front (FA) coalition member and Uruguay’s Minister of Economy Danilo Astori called Alamgro’s letter “superb” and “very balanced, concerning the advocacy of the interests of Venezuelan citizens.”

“I personally agree with its content,” Astori said when asked about the letter. But when questioned over the Uruguayan Foreign Office and the Executive Office’s plans, Astori said that he could not disclose any “decisions.”

The two opinions illustrate the split that has arisen amongst members of Uruguay’s ruling coalition over the state of affairs in Venezuela.

The Uruguayan Electoral Court (CEU) currently heads the Unasur Electoral Council, which have attempted to form an observer mission to go to Venezuela for the elections.

The executive secretary of Venezuela’s opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), Jesús Torrealba, described Almagro’s letter as “important” as “it reveals” that “Venezuela has been under observation (for some time), not just from now on.”

“The ruling party’s opportunism, abuse of state media, the persecution, disqualification of candidates, the detention of political leaders, one by one the facts of the reality in Venezuela appear here reflected in this letter,” Torrealba said on his regular radio show.

A vote was taken in the Uruguayan parliament with the purpose of naming an all party delegation of lawmakers to be present at Venezuela's election. However the ruling Broad Front which has a comfortable majority, threw out the initiative so the main opposition party, (National party), named its own group of Deputies and Senators that will be traveling to Venezuela for a week not to observe or monitor the election but merely “to see” how events evolve.

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  • ChrisR

    No Money Pepe Mujica (because in power he spent it all on 'errors' and the stinking poor, leaving nothing for the teachers for TWO years) doesn't like political prisoners, eh?

    I wonder if that is because he thinks he was one? He is wrong to think that, he was and still is a murdering bastard and should have been executed for sedition along with his hag La Tronca.

    This brooding malevolent presence within the senate has let it be know (via The Hag) that they are both going to resign halfway through the present period to get ready for the murdering bastard to be re-elected president! In the meantime they have been in The Dark Country to 'help' TMBOA and her crooks to get the 'K' model kept alive by assisting in the elections.

    I probably have about 9 / 10 years left. It would be great to witness the Broad Fraud be rent asunder by in-fighting and the election of someone of maturity and intelligence to the presidency.

    The only 'fly in the ointment' is where is such a person going to be found?

    Nov 16th, 2015 - 05:57 pm 0
  • ynsere

    Hello Chris

    In my opinion, there are two good prospects, albeit not member of the Frente Amplio. Both Lacalle Pou and Pedro Bordaberry might well make good presidents, and they are both Old Boys of the British Schools and are thus decently educated. As the Frente Amplio runs out of money, tens of thousands of freeloading middle class government servants will leave the party.

    Nov 17th, 2015 - 02:07 am 0
  • ChrisR

    @ 2 ynsere

    Hi ynsere,

    Hope you have plenty of renters for the new season, there already seems to be a lot of argies 'rushing' around PdelE and it hasn't officially started yet!

    I thought either of the two you mentioned would be much better than any of The Broad Fraud scum but my Spanish Teacher told me neither of them would make it because The Broad Fraud had things stitched up: and so it seems, then.

    Now of course they do seem to be running out of support as far as I can see looking at the 'comments' section in El Pais.

    Fingers crossed then!

    Nov 17th, 2015 - 06:19 pm 0
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