MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay's coalition can't agree on consensus candidate

Senator Jose “Pepe” Mujica

The leader of Uruguay's senior partner group in the ruling coalition and presidential hopeful, Jose Mujica admitted that if the global financial crisis persists he would prefer his rival, former Economy minister Senator Danilo Astori to become the government's presidential candidate for 2009.

"Nobody can predict the incidence of the international crisis on our country (Uruguay)", said Senator Mujica interviewed by a local broadcasting station, but he will hold contacts with all the different groupings which make up the ruling coalition before he makes a final decision about his possible presidential pre-candidacy. He also advanced he favours having the presidential candidate nominated next December during the coalition's congress, thus avoiding primaries "which could be extremely debilitating and rancorous". However, if the coalition's congress does not decide then "we will have to hold primaries in June 2009 (as marked by Uruguayan electoral law)". In that case "I'll be head of one of the rosters, say "M" and Astori head of the other roster, "A", with figures from all the different sectors which make up the Broad Front". Apparently this idea was proposed to Enrique Rubio who holds the post of head of the Planning and Budget Office and is a close advisor of President Tabare Vazquez in political affairs. Apparently during the meeting Rubio insisted that the ruling coalition's ticket should be agreed before the December congress, but if not, Mujica and Astori should head two rosters with delegates from grass root organizations and all different groupings included in both options. The suggestion had a "warm" reception from Mujica according to sources from the Presidential office. Former guerrilla leader Mujica and his grouping MPP were the most voted inside the ruling coalition in the last election (October 2004) and current opinion polls also show him several points ahead of Senator Astori, both by coalition followers and by outside voters. "I have the charm and the votes", Mujica has repeatedly stated in spite of President Vazquez insistence that the ticket should be headed by Astori and Mujica as vice president candidate. Mujica has also intelligently knitted a web of alliances with different groups and grass roots which the more academic and distant Astori and his sector have been unable to reverse. The December congress or June primaries should confirm Mujica if not as king, as king maker. According to Montevideo political analysts, Mujica's latest confession could be interpreted as a reaction test among his followers or effectively he believes the downpour of the global financial situation is so serious that economist Astori should be at the helm from 2010 onwards, obviously heavily conditioned to a program or a political agreement of his making. But given the ongoing controversy some groups inside the coalition are planning to promote the re-election of President Vazquez. "If we have a leader which has over 60% public opinion support, why should we continue with this fatiguing discussion? If there is no agreement in December, in January we're out in the streets and beaches collecting support signatures for Vazquez' re-election", said a reliable source from the Broad Front. However under the Uruguayan constitution there is no presidential re-election and to introduce an amendment a special congressional majority is needed plus a positive interpretation since the timetable for such an opportunity is questionable. This must be followed by a plebiscite which could coincide with the October 2009 presidential election. More over President Vazquez has repeatedly stated he has no interest in re-election and prefers to respect the Uruguayan tradition of on term (although he could try again in five years time). The Montevideo press recently revealed that Dr. Vazquez who is an oncologist, has bought a one million US dollars mansion in the city's most residential quarter, Carrasco, where he is planning to move his clinic, furnished with state of the art equipments, and continue looking after his patients.