MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Orsi reviews fraud allegations and congratulates Noboa on his win

Vargas Llosa was a “genius” regardless of his ideology, Orsi also pointed out

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi congratulated Daniel Noboa on his reelection in Ecuador after discussing the fraud allegations with Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin, it was reported in Montevideo. The Broad Front (Frente Amplio - FA) leader also mourned the passing of Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa and reviewed the Arazatí Water Project as well as the country's situation regarding soup kitchens and homelessness.

“I salute the Ecuadorian people for the electoral process that has just transited. And I congratulate President-elect Daniel Noboa for the responsibility that the people have conferred on him. There is much to work together in this South of America,” Orsi wrote on X.

Lubetkin noted that Noboa's victory had been validated by Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE). While election results are usually confirmed when both winner and loser acknowledge the outcome, Uruguay's top diplomat admitted it was not the case this time but urged caution and seriousness in handling the fraud claims.

Orsi also said Vargas Llosa was a “genius” whose work shaped Latin American identity. “All the awards that this man won speak only of a great man, of a true genius,” he said. “It doesn't matter if he was from the left or the right, art and creativity have a richness in itself that we cannot ignore.”

Regarding the Arazatí Water Project, Orsi expressed skepticism about the location of the water intake but noted the consortium’s willingness to find solutions, given that breaking the contract is not an immediate option. Orsi also stressed the importance of preserving the Santa Lucía system and its basin, suggesting alternatives like expanding damming in Casupá instead of relying on the Río de la Plata, as proposed in the Neptuno Project.

The president also admitted that his Government was considering increasing funding for long-term solutions to homelessness. However, considering the limited resources, “it is necessary to lend a hand” in the meantime and advance “with what we have.”