MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay’s ruling coalition cobbles presidential ticket

Astori accepts to run for vice-president because he’s a party faithful

Finally at a brief and cool ceremony the Uruguayan ruling coalition announced on Monday evening the ticket for the coming October presidential election: the winner of the primary and former guerrilla leader Jose Mujica will head the slate with economist Danilo Astori as vice-president candidate.

The negotiation for the ticket took over a week and in spite of smiles for the pictures and nice words at the official announcement ceremony, Astori admitted with an air of reluctance that he accepted the challenge because it was requested by the coalition of President Tabare Vazquez, which he praised. But words of praise for his companion were absent at the press conference.

Mujica on the other hand said it was an honour for him “to announce the presidential ticket that is to be considered next weekend at the coalition’s plenary and which includes companion Danilo Astori as vice-president”.

Both candidates used strong words during the primary campaign and Mr. Astori was particularly derogatory of Mr. Mujica’s “capacity” to manage a country and ironic about his rival’s presidential “physique du rol” and coarse language.

However Mr. Mujica in 2004 was essential to ensure victory for the left centre catch all coalition: under the Uruguayan electoral system he was the most voted candidate in the most voted slate of the winning coalition and in the recent primary was several points ahead of his rival and defeated him in almost all voting circuits.

Furthermore Mr. Astori is questioned by left groups in the coalition for his orthodox economics and closeness to the US. This position makes him very palatable to the conservative-business community although he also irritated middle class Uruguayans for having introduced an “unpolished” income tax system. Nevertheless he has the capacity to attract independent votes.

The former guerrilla leader, who spent 14 years in jail, was a successful Minister of Agriculture which coincided with the boom in commodities’ prices and is popular for his straight forward, plain, even coarse, style. He has also had close contacts with the Kirchners in Argentina and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez whose enchantment is rapidly fading to the eyes of Uruguayans with a long tradition of democratic rules.

But whatever their personal feelings they need each other and in the primaries of June 28th in all political parties, the turnout for the leading opposition party was higher than that of the ruling coalition for the first time in ten years.

“We are going to battle for the continuity of the achievements of President Tabare Vazquez”, said Astori.

“I’m here because I know that there is a favourable opinion inside the Broad Front to consolidate this presidential ticket…I always knew I would stand wherever the coalition needed me”, he added.

But the truth is that during the week long negotiation Astori’s representative demanded as part of the deal to join the ticket: the ministries of Economy, Public Works and Health plus the Central Bank, Development Bank and the Planning and Budget Office. The terms of the final deal were not revealed.

Commenting on the poor turnout for the primaries, Mujica said it could be attributed to the fact “we had more than sufficient votes; people didn’t bother to go to the polls besides the fact the result could be anticipated”.

But on the good side “this is a clear signal that October has to be won, it won’t be easy and we must close lines and begin to work”.

The Broad Front cumbersome process to discuss its presidential ticket contrasts with the leading opposition National party that on the same night of June 28th, and a couple of hours after the first results, had the two contenders agree on the ticket: Luis Alberto Lacalle and Jorge Larrañaga.