MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan Former Vice President Danilo Astori resigns from his Senate seat

Beset by health problems that he had been carrying since before the beginning of the pandemic, the former vice-president was unable to return to normal parliamentary work

Former Economy Minister Danilo Astori informed the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) party on Monday that he will resign his seat in the Senate on Tuesday.

The resignation will be discussed at the Senate on Tuesday morning, El Observador reported.

Beset by health problems that he had been carrying since before the beginning of the pandemic, the former vice-president was unable to return to normal parliamentary work in this legislature.

According to El Observador, since the beginning of this legislature Astori was summoned to 120 Senate sessions and attended only three times. He assumed his seat on March 3, 2020 and attended the sessions of March 10 and 17. This was the last session he attended.

The historic Frente Amplio leader and founder of Asamblea Uruguay – center-left wing sector – was elected senator for the first time in 1990 and successively reelected to a seat since that year. In 2005, he took over as Minister of Economy, a position he held again in 2015 in the third Frente Amplio government.

During the presidency of José Mujica (2010-2015), he also acted in the Senate, but as Vice President of the Republic. He is considered the most responsible for the economic management during the three Frente Amplio governments, between 2005 and 2020.

The Economist's seat in the Senate will be occupied by José Carlos Mahía, who as his alternate has been acting as senator for several months.