MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas controversy: Uruguay Senator sidesteps and swears full allegiance to Argentina

Senator Moreira: “in total agreement with Uruguay’s attitude of consequent, coherent and systematic support of Argentina’s claim over the Islas Malvinas”

Uruguayan Senator and presidential hopeful Constanza Moreira has clarified some of the concepts attributed to her relative to the Malvinas Islands and alleged Uruguayan sovereignty rights, which received extensive coverage in the Montevideo media and had repercussions in Argentina.

The clarification request, a third of which criticizing the alleged malicious interpretation and intention of the article “Hypothesis in the ruling coalition: Malvinas Uruguayan”, ends reassuring that Senator Moreira is “in total agreement with Uruguay’s attitude of consequent, coherent and systematic support of Argentina’s claim over the Islas Malvinas”.

However to a great extent the clarification confirms the existence of such a Malvinas ‘hypothesis’ even when linked to Uruguay’s position in Antarctica, and as part of an input document, (as so many others for internal consumption), for the elaboration of the ruling coalition Broad Front government program, collectively elaborated, to be considered next November at the movement’s congress.

“The alluded document, barely quoted but omitted is not a personal creation of Senator Moreira but of several members from the Defence Unit. The extensive text contains different analysis, diagnosis and proposals as inputs for the elaboration and debate inside the Broad Front’s coming congress and next government”. (Uruguay is holding presidential elections October 2014).

Regarding the specific issue, the document analyzes in point 8) under the heading of “The political-military issue beyond classic frontiers”, the presence of Uruguay in Antarctica and reads:

“a) to strengthen the presence of Uruguay in Antarctica in its condition of full member of the Antarctic Treaty. Uruguay is one of the 28 members of the Antarctic Treaty (1959) which decide on the future of Antarctica”

Follows, “b) Regarding the Malvinas Islands, an Advisory Committee will be named integrated with historians, geographers, jurists, diplomats, politicians and military to discuss in depth the issue and to adopt a well founded position. Among other considerations taking into account that the presence of Uruguay in Antarctica is upheld in the same Spain-Uruguay Treaty (1841, ratified in 1846) which grants Uruguay sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and the lands dependent from the River Plate naval station” (Port of Montevideo during the Spanish empire).

Follows “c) The issue of Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands (particularly the Malvinas) has to the related to the constitution of the ZOPACAS (Peace and Cooperation Zone in the South Atlantic) conformed by 24 nations and approved by the UN and with the participation of Brazil and South Africa (BRICS members) and Argentina (G20)”

It must be taking into consideration that 25% of the world’s gas and crude production is in continental shelves. Brazil has encouraged the creation of a dissuasive system to discourage extra-region aggressions. Uruguay must share that concern”, concludes the specific document.

Finally Senator Moreira emphasized: “I want to make very clear my total agreement with the attitude of Uruguay in the consequent, coherent and systematic support of Argentina’s historic claim over the Malvinas Islands”.

It should be noted that Senator Moreira an acknowledged political scientist and historian effectively belonged to Space 609 grouping, one of the many that make up the catch-all movement that currently rules Uruguay and responds to President Jose Mujica MPP.

However MPP has anticipated support for 2014 presidential pre-candidate and former president Tabare Vazquez, which Senator Moreira has criticized, arguing Vazquez if elected will be 80 years old, is associated with an incumbent party and not a renewal political force as has been traditionally the Broad Front since its conception. Furthermore the Senator belongs to a current of thought that considers Vazquez is too conservative in some of his stances and too autocratic in some of his attitudes.

Not only that: Senator Moreira has thrown her hat into the ring and will dispute Vazquez the coalition’s presidential candidacy in next year’s primary, but will do so in representation of another small fraction of the ruling coalition, the PVP or “For People’s Victory”.

Thus the whole incident, which does not deny the Uruguayan Malvinas hypothesis, as a working paper, most probably was leaked to the press from inside government as a ‘political trip’ for the protesting Senator who, reading the clarification prefers to attack the messenger and .and not the message.