MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“I’d rather fix the blocks on trade than the bridge pickets”, says Mujica

The Uruguayan president was 75 this week, “one day less in my personal clock”

Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica was ironic Thursday when asked about the current roadblock on the Gualeguaychú-Fray Bentos border-crossing bridge with neighbouring Argentina (in place for over four years now) and asked whether he should “spit Argentina in the eye,” while explaining he is more focused on trade blocks than road blocks.

“Should I declare war on Argentina? Should I spit them in the eye?” he wondered, while adding that “International trade is a war of interests”. He added his job was like that of the mosquito “bite, bite, molest all the time” until a favourable reply.

“I'd rather fix the blocks on trade, which is easier,” he explained, and informed that a recent row with Argentina regarding trade, in which the country had set several bans on a series of imported goods, had ended.

Argentine pickets are blocking an international bridge linking the neighbouring countries in protest for the construction of a pulp mill on the Uruguayan side, alleging the plant contaminates.

“The coming agenda with Cristina Kirchner includes 18 items, trade, bridges, ports,,, but I’m most interested in convincing the Argentines to dredge the Martin Garcia channel of access to Nueva Palmira”, said Mujica in reference to Uruguay’s main export port after Montevideo.

“Honestly I hope I can have these points mended or in process off before the pickets get tired and lift the blockade”, underlined Mujica.

The Uruguayan head of state turned 75 Thursday. “It's one less day in my personal clock,” he said, and added that “being alive was almost a miracle” because “there are many things against him.”

“I feel very good. I'm getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night. I was told to have an afternoon nap, which is also proving very useful and distressing. Of course, I still can't shake off my sense of responsibility,” he told the media.

Mujica celebrated his birthday with his wife by sharing a “healthy dinner,” which is what the doctor ordered after he was diagnosed with a case of stress which impeded him from attending the EU-Latin American and Caribbean countries Summit this week in Madrid.