MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay's ruling coalition primary “nasty and foul”

Senator Jose “Pepe” Mujica

One of Uruguay's ruling coalition presidential hopefuls claimed the primary campaign was turning “nasty” and could leave “deep wounds” plus mistrust and called for a “clean, respectful campaign”. He admitted that he could be the target of an inside boycott.

Senator Jose Mujica, a former guerrilla leader had to desist of a trip to Argentina where he had planned several rallies to meet with the huge community of Uruguayans (numbering almost half a million) because it was rumoured that the whole operation was financed by the Argentine Kirchner presidential couple, with whom Uruguay has an ongoing diplomatic dispute over the building of a pulp mill. Following a meeting of the Deputies and Senators from the ruling coalition in Congress to celebrate the 38th anniversary of the left wing catch-all coalition, Broad Front, which for the first time won the election in 2004 under the leadership of President Tabare Vazquez, Senator Mujica complained bitterly about the tactics of his main contender, but without mentioning him, former Economy minister Senator Danilo Astori. "An primary campaign is not an easy task, and whatever the results, once it's over we all have to pull together behind the candidate whoever our followers choose. And what's going on does not contribute because it can leave deep injuries", he said. "I would like this internal campaign to collect experience and not commit those mistakes and silly attitudes which hurt and damage trust among us. From the start we said we would abide by a clean campaign", emphasized Mujica. He went on to claim that the rumours about disappointment among Uruguayan residents in Argentina because of the Kirchners support to his campaign should not be the Broad Front way of campaigning, "this is not the way for a political dispute among the left". He described his decision to postpone his rallying in Argentina as the result of this "friction" but anyhow he defended his close relation with the Kirchners and Argentina. "I will always be fully open to whatever is Argentina, except for those involved in coups". Mujica recalled that Argentine unions and governments have helped the Uruguayan community's involvement in politics and voting. "Their votes can be decisive, and as far as I can see I have a lot of support among them, but now also apparently those who reject me", he complained bitterly. The former urban guerrilla who spent years in jail before been benefited with an amnesty said the Uruguayan society is "most conservative", and not only on the right but also among the left and the Broad Front, "and they can't stand that a guy like me; I'm not their stereotype and yes they reject me, and are boycotting me". Mujica also recalled, with disappointment that the loosing side in the December Broad Front delegates congress to choose a presidential candidate protested his nomination and decided that according to the groupings rules they could demand an open primary, "which is what they did; it hurts but I accepted it". However he admitted he was a bit baffled about how to address the boycott, "maybe I'm a show thinker for these tactics, but what is clear is that the challenge is there. My political friends are concerned, even those who don't belong to my group, but what is clear is that this is a battle against the real conservative power of this country". Finally he called for a "transparent dispute" from his fellow peers, and "I don't want this whole affair to become a diplomatic incident with Argentina and a conflict among Uruguayan militants who will play a decisive role in next October's presidential election. The Uruguayan press revealed that apparently the man behind the Kirchner financing rumours is an expert in dirty and smear political campaigns, currently a political advisor of President Vazquez (Esteban Valenti) who was instrumental in his October 2004 victory and who is currently contracted by the Astori team. Mujica on several occasions has complained that the "conservative spirit" of the Uruguayan society does not tolerate a university outsider as elected president (as is his case), while Astori, a public accountant and university professor was for years Dean of Uruguay's School of Economics.