MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula da Silva anticipated his Uruguayan election vote: incumbent Mujica

An admirer of Lula da Silva, Mujica (L) promises more integration with Mercosur

A leading figure from the ruling Workers Party of Brazil visited this weekend Uruguayan presidential candidate Jose “Pepe” Mujica with a message from President Lula da Silva.

Incumbent Mujica who is leading in public opinion polls, next Sunday faces a run-off with Conservative opposition candidate Luis Alberto Lacalle.

Olivio Dutra a former governor from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, neighbouring with Uruguay underlined the potential for closer links between Brazil and Uruguay within a “harmonious” integration in such fields as politics, culture, tourism and education

Former guerrilla leader and ex Minister of Agriculture Mujica has publicly expressed his admiration for the administration of President Lula da Silva, which he says “is a model for the region to follow”.

Dutra and Mujica held an hour long meeting Sunday and afterwards the Brazilian political leader talked with the press about the similarities between the Uruguayan candidate and the Brazilian president.

Mujica is “an emblematic, charismatic figure capable of working in diversity and with a plurality of ideas and is an expert in building consensuses”, said Dutra adding the two leaders share “that wonderful dialogue capacity, to promote dialogue to bring different sides together”.

A few months ago presidential hopeful Mujica and his ticket companion, Danilo Astori visited Brasilia where they met with President Lula da Silva. Given Lula da Silva’s popularity and regional acknowledgement, a photo with the Brazilian president is seen as a valuable asset in Uruguay’s electoral campaign.

The fact that Dutra identified himself as a “messenger” from Lula da Silva also means a significant boost for the Mujica-Astori ticket although there was no revealing of the content of the message.

During the campaign Mujica has promised to increase links with Mercosur, under the leadership of Brazil, while Lacalle has anticipated that if elected one of his first measures would be a complete review of the Mercosur membership because “it has been a bad deal for Uruguay”. He also promised to withdraw Uruguay’s participation in the so-called Mercosur Parliament made up with elected representatives from the four group’s full members.

According to the latest opinion polls, Mujica leads his rival Lacalle by six to ten points.

Although the ruling coalition ensured majority control of the next Parliament during the first round of voting at the end of October, Mujica in spite of the 48% garnered, according to Uruguayan legislation needs 50% plus one vote to avoid a run off a month later, in this case November 29th.