MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mujica says Argentina's attitude in Mercosur is 'insular' and shatters integration

The Uruguayan president reacted to Argentina's decision restricting Montevideo port activities

Uruguay President José “Pepe” Mujica questioned Argentina’s recent decision to stop freight transfers at ports belonging to Mercosur countries Buenos Aires has no maritime agreements with. Mujica blasted an “insular” position that “shatters” regional integration.

 “It is a never-ending struggle that at globalization times and when the world is creating blocs above traditional states, it should already be a story we should be able to overcome with intelligence,” Uruguay’s head of state complaint as he described the announcement made by Argentina earlier this week an “insular policy.”

“We should defend ourselves facing the world as a team and never fall (in the trap) of defending each other against each other because that insular policy the only thing that does in the end is precisely to harm integration, shatters the Mercosur” Mujica added.

Port operators in Uruguay have already warned about millionaire loses considering the move by Buenos Aires a “reprisal” for Montevideo’s decision to authorize the UPM mill to increase its production, thus reviving a long-standing environmental and diplomatic bilateral conflict.

“One of things that history teaches is that the interests of Buenos Aires, the interests that tighten the port of Buenos Aires have always had a very aggressive opposition attitude, by all possible means towards the port of Montevideo”, said President Mujica during his daily morning broadcast.

“We don't support the idea that a country in the defense of its legitimate rights has to affect another Mercosur member, we should be looking for joint solutions for integration efforts” pointed out Mujica who said the latest measures are a blow for Uruguay but also for the region and mainly for Argentina.