MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Dealing with Argentina “one of the most painful problems” admits President Mujica

Mujica told Uruguayan unions that the last stage of capitalism is not imperialism but rather consumerism

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica confessed that dealing with neighbouring Argentina is “one of the most painful problems” faced by his administration given the weight of the Argentine economy.

“It is one of the most difficult and painful problems of my government, dealing with the difficulties presented by Argentina, because above all I must think in the jobs generated so this is not a match to see who’s the toughest in the block”, underlined Mujica during a speech to the confederation of trade unions, Pit-Cnt.

“Whether we like it or not the most relevant issue for Uruguay is the Argentine economy” said Mujica recalling that the eclectic neighbour is the country’s third trading partner and “our exports to Argentina are mostly with added value”.

The Uruguayan president has been criticized at home for having a far too conciliatory attitude towards the administration of President Cristina Fernandez, to an extent that sometimes it is considered ‘humiliating’ given the repeated circumstances in which Argentina drops out or ignores laboriously worked understandings.

“What else but conciliatory can I be? Taking the case to the International Court of The Hague is an alternative? I doubt it”.

Nevertheless Mujica insisted in the need to expand Mercosur “the most we can” and described as decisive the incorporation of Venezuela as a full member of the block together with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay temporarily suspended.

In support of his argument the Uruguayan president said that the country had lost 20 to 25% of its trade with the European Union while that with Latinamerican countries has compensated and increased.

Mujica then warned the delegates that the charter and principles of the unions’ federation “persists with a language and a vision which is not wrong but is not subtle”.

“They are too much inspired when the time of heavy industry, nowadays the issue is added value, intelligence per product, that is the real fight Uruguay faces”, insisted the president who again attacked exacerbated consumerism and indebtedness as he has done lately.

“It’s not imperialism the last stage of capitalism” he warned “but rather what we are living currently and it is called consumerism and it is ruling over the masses of the whole world”.

“We are not being apologetic of the caves or poverty, but pointing out to a reality which involves capitalists and trade unions”, added Mujica who went on to criticize cronyism and patronizing in politics, admitting that the most difficult challenge for a society is cultural change.

“Accepting new realities, the new rules of the game: beware of corporations that become partners and associates of capitalism” insisted the Uruguayan president.