MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay: 24 hour strike or one man's tour de force

The Socialist government of Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez suffered on Wednesday its first 24 hour full strike called by the unions' movement which openly supports the ruling coalition.

The protest which has exposed a rift inside the labor movement was in demand of changes to government economic policy, improved distribution and the traditional down plain salary increases. Although the politically pragmatic left leaning administration of President Vazquez likes to preach social interests before profits, its macroeconomic policies under Finance minister and presidential hopeful Danilo Astori have been the most orthodox in recent history of the Mercosur junior country member, even by Conservative standards. Boosted by international prices for commodities, as neighbors Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay has been riding on an unexpected wave of windfall earnings which have enabled massive social spending and a new taxing system which Mr. Astori considers fairer but is openly resisted by much of the middle class. In this scenario of abundance the catch all ruling coalition which extends from Christian Democrats and Communists to radical groups and former guerrillas has managed not being trapped by ideology but in 15 months time, October 2009, presidential and congress elections are scheduled. Although President Vazquez has insisted that Mr. Astori is an excellent candidate not all grass roots of the Broad Front coalition agree and his main rival is a former guerrilla leader, former Agriculture minister Jose Mujica, who has an exceptional down to earth communicator capacity and also wants the job or at the most will have the last word on who to enshrine. Mr. Mujica is still today according to public opinion polls the leader of the main force in the ruling coalition and his unquestioning obedience and support of President Vazquez as minister, has been replaced as a member of Parliament by several dissenting attitudes and statements. His political force through intelligence work has managed to torpedo most presidential hopefuls in the coalition including top gun Mr. Astori, --a respected economist former Dean of the School of Economics but with little charismaâ€" by disclosing alleged graft or corruption actions. Two torpedo-scandals, involving Customs and the Casinos Office which depend from the Finance Ministry, have pierced Mr. Astori's aura of transparency and although they do not affect him personally, they have stained close aides. The 24 hour general strike is also part of the political game in preparation for next year. The more pragmatic and political Communists who traditionally have controlled the trade unions in Uruguay were outmaneuvered by the radicals, much closer to the former guerrillas movement and the seventies preaching, and again their main complaint was the current economic policies. The stoppage didn't affect commercial activity or greatly limit public transport although government offices and banks were closed. But it was more a demonstration of power and possibly even a signal from the Mujica boys to the Communists that they are also vulnerable. The latest public opinion polls show President Vazquez with an unprecedented 57% approval but the ruling coalition is eroding and is below 42% while the main opposition party is gradually increasing. Both Mr. Mujica and Mr. Astori follow in public opinion consideration, and probably the presidential ticket might finally include the two but the former guerrilla seems intent in showing that he is undoubtedly the man who pulls the strings and rocks the boat, even inside the labor movement, if necessary.