MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Alberto Fernández and Pepe Mujica discuss Argentina's crisis

“With Pepe and Lula it is very pleasant to work,” Fernández said, somehow announcing his future role in South American politics

Former Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica and incumbent Argentine head of state Alberto Fernández got together Friday at the former's farm in Rincón del Cerro to discuss the currency exchange crisis in South America's second-largest country and, with it, the future of the region.

Mujica recalled that Argentinap's corsetting access to foreign currency had had an impact on Uruguay's tourism industry. “For five or six years, not even the parrot came from there, I have memory, we should not do that,” the retired leftwing leader said. He also expressed his concern to Fernández about the large number of Uruguayans currently doing their shopping in Argentina to capitalize on a convenient exchange rate parity.

“I told him what I thought, if I were president we were going to have problems traveling to Argentina because we are even going to cut our hair in Argentina, we are going to be bald if we continue like this,” Mujica explained and insisted measures such as the “zero kilo” in border areas was needed.

Asked about the ongoing electoral process in Argentina and the recent endorsement of third-placed candidate Patricia Bullrich to Libertarian Congressman Javier Milei's bid, Fernández preferred to remain cautious: “In order for everything to take place democratically so that each one does what he/she understands he/she should do, I have nothing to say,” he argued.

He then said he believed Economy Minister and presidential candidate Sergio Massa had not diverted from the current government's views and “celebrated” the new Peronism under Massa because the political movement “needs to be revamped.”

“With Pepe and [Brazilian President Luiz Inácio] Lula [da Silva] it is very pleasant to work, they are people I admire and friends,” stressed the Argentine president.

Regarding the South American Common Market, Fernández said he believed Massa was “an expression of what we believe in, so, for us, Mercosur has a significant value and that is why I think it is worth listening to Pepe on this point, who has worked and continues working for many years.”

Fernández also underlined that the former Uruguayan president preaches “the need and the importance of regional integration.”

“The truth is that we have to listen to him and many of the things he says we have to do, we definitely have to do them,” added the incumbent head of state.