MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

President Mujica tells his lawmakers to stop acting petty and start working

“We all commit mistakes” said Mujica

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica called on the ruling coalition to stop acting with ‘pettiness’ and look forward to the legislative challenge of 2012 which includes several initiatives in different fields and he described as ‘essential’.

“It’s time our comrade Senators and Deputies have an idea of what is going on, and get ready for work. I will make some general recommendations to my fellow colleagues”, said Mujica.

The Uruguayan president was rather annoyed after having to change a meeting of the cabinet plus his coalition’s members of parliament, originally scheduled to take place at the presidential farm in Anchorena, Colonia, 200 kilometres west of Montevideo, but which finally did not move from Montevideo.

“We all commit mistakes” said Mujica and then recalled the incident.

“Some asked me to have the meeting at Anchorena, because it’s a very nice farm and many didn’t know the place, and I said OK, but no official cars. So then they all get into a heated discussion because they had to pay 500 Pesos (20 US dollars) each from their pockets for a contracted the bus to take them to Anchorena”, revealed the Uruguayan president.

“It was their problem but we can’t be so pathetic, so small minded…”

We need to look beyond, said Mujica and include the opposition because they are also part of the country, “it’s there and it will always exist”. He added that it’s the government’s job to work with everybody and govern for everybody. And the ruling coalition must be well aware of this”

“I’m telling my colleagues that beyond the parliamentary debate is the country, which needs long term planning, long term ideas, and if I only play in the short term, I squeeze the opposition, I ignore them and we all end up in a regrettable pettiness”

“This is very much in human nature, but we must overcome it, it’s no good for anybody” he concluded.

The average pay of a Uruguayan lawmaker, plus benefirs, is in the range of 8.000 to 10.000 dollars per month.