MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Orsi meeting Lula on first trip abroad after electoral win

Orsi sees in Lula a key ally

Uruguay's President-elect Yamandú Orsi is scheduled to meet Friday in Brasilia with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss the future relationship between both countries after the Broad Front's (Frente Amplio - FA) candidate is inaugurated on March 1. Orsi defeated Álvaro Delgado of the ruling Multicolor coalition in the Nov. 24 runoff and chose Brazil as his first destination abroad to launch his administration's diplomatic agenda.

The day after his victory, Lula congratulated Orsi by telephone and confirmed he would be attending the Dec. 5-6 Southern Common Market (Mercosur) Summit in Montevideo. The Brazilian leader also hailed Orsi's win as a victory for all Latin America and the Caribbean. ”Brazil and Uruguay will continue working together in Mercosur (Southern Common Market) and other forums for fair and sustainable development, for peace, and for regional integration,” Lula posted on social media.

With Orsi, Lula, and Bolivia's Luis Arce Catacora, Mercosur will have three leftwing-oriented heads of State, against two from the right: Argentina's Javier Milei and Paraguay's Santiago Peña. Uruguay's incumbent Luis Lacalle Pou would also belong to those ranks, so Orsi's win would tip the balance in the other direction.

Orsi is expected to align with Brazil on issues such as social policies and human rights, unlike Milei. Despite their ideological differences, Lula has managed to reach a great deal of consensus with Peña.

Among the topics to be discussed between Lula and Orsi are the building of a bridge connecting the Uruguayan city of Rio Branco with the Brazilian city of Yaguarón (Jaguarão) and the dredging of the San Gonzalo canal linking the Merin Lagoon in Uruguay with the Patos Lagoon in Brazil.

Orsi, deemed by many as the dauphin of former President José Pepe Mujica, finds in Lula a key ally to advance the progressive agenda. The former mayor (governor) of Canelones is also expected to strengthen Mercosur as a whole.