MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan President insists the LUC has brought on no damages

Should the “nays” win, “I would call it a ratification of a legal instrument”, Lacalle underlined

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou expressed his view in favor of voting “Nay” during Sunday's referendum to decide whether to repeal or not 135 provisions out of 476 of the so-called Law of Urgent Consideration (LUC), which has been a pillar of his administration.

”It is not the same to govern with these 135 than without these 135 (articles). Obviously, it is not the same,“ Lacalle told reporters. He added that the damages the ”Ayes“ had warned the LUC would cause have failed to come up since July 2020, when it was enacted.

The President also highlighted the improvements brought on by the LUC regarding public safety, education, labor, and other issues. He also denied allegations that the LUC had not gone through enough parliamentary debate.

”Of the original articles, more than 270 were modified, and, for me, the most convincing proof that it is a good law is time because reality is what rules,“ Lacalle stressed, who nevertheless warned that should the ”Nays“ win Sunday, it will not be ”something to celebrate.“

”I would not call it a triumph. I would call it ratification of a legal instrument”, he underlined.

The campaign to launch a referendum was carried out by the central labor union PIT-CNT; the opposition Broad Front (Frente Amplio - FA) left-wing coalition which ruled Uruguay between 2005 and 2020 and other organizations.

In the midst of the pandemic, they collected some 800,000 signatures, far exceeding the number required by the Constitution for a referendum.