MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay former president calls on Latam to advance in agreements with the US

Tabare Vazquez: the time for rhetoric exercises has run out

“The time for rhetoric exercises has run out”, said Uruguayan former president Tabare Vazquez during a presentation before the Latin American Studies Association, LASA, in Washington where he emphasized the need for Latinamerican countries to advance in agreements with the United States.

“A few weeks ago, during his visit to Mexico President Barack Obama said it was time to get over the anachronic stereotypes and together we can advance further. I totally agree with the statement”, said Vazquez who belongs to the catch-all centre left coalition that has been ruling Uruguay since 2005.

The event held last Friday at LASA in Washington, which analyzed US relations with Latinamerica was also attended by Jose Miguel Insulza, head of the Organization of American States, OAS, and Roberta Jacobson, Deputy Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs.

“In reality, Latinamerica not only is not an enemy of the United States, it can also be in fact it is: a responsible and fecund counterpart for that country. Not only is the US an opportunity for Latinamerica, Latinamerica is an opportunity for the US”, said the former president who if public opinion polls are correct and sustainable could repeat a five year term in Uruguay’s next year’s presidential election.

Further on Vazquez said that countries of the region no longer occupy outstanding positions in the world’s powers agenda or in the international news agencies since they have ceased to be “a problem” and thus also “have ceased to be a priority”.

The former president said it was time to stop exchanging recriminations, ‘which does not mean forgetting the past or giving up what we are’ but there are “conditions or rather favourable necessities to define a shared agenda, which if implemented can help resolve among us, all those important issues for all of us, …because the time for rhetoric exercises has run out and there is no margin for self solutions”.

Vazquez said it was essential to advance with the shared US/Latinamerica agenda that comprises aspirations and interests for all.

“Obviously not all issues are equally important for all of us, but it is impossible to convene and involve all of us in an agenda made up unilaterally, or without consulting by one of a few of us”.

Among the issues on which Vazquez believes an understanding must be reached includes, migration affairs, energy security, infrastructure, production and innovation, education, employment, social protection, coordinated actions against terrorism and the drugs traffic, money laundering, arms sales and trafficking of persons.