Uruguayan opposition chairman Fernando Pereira insisted Sunday in Montevideo that the political crisis over the issuance of a passport to notorious drug trafficker Sebastián Marset is not over, despite the cabinet reshuffle announced Saturday by President Luis Lacalle Pou, who broke a two-day silence on the political crisis that began with leaked audios between the former foreign minister and his vice minister.
After meeting with his US colleague Joseph Biden on Friday in Washington DC, Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has a busy agenda ahead of him Saturday back at home after the crisis sparked by the resignation of Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo, who was involved in a cover-up following the highly irregular issuance of a passport to wanted drug trafficker Sebastián Marset.
The Uruguayan government on Thursday appointed Diego Escuder as acting foreign minister, following the resignation earlier this week of Francisco Bustillo, who was embroiled in a scandal over the issuance of a passport to known drug trafficker Sebastián Marset.
Francisco Bustillo Wednesday turned in his resignation as Foreign Minister of Uruguay after audios of a conversation he had with then Deputy-Foreign Minister Carolina Ache about internationally-wanted drug trafficker Sebastián Marset went viral, it was reported in Montevideo. President Luis Lacalle Pou is on an official trip to the United States as this crisis unfolds.
After spending Tuesday in Paraguay for the inauguration of president Santiago Peña, British foreign minister for the Americas, David Rutley visited neighboring Uruguay where he met with local authorities, visited the Centenario stadium and participated in a reception for UK/Uruguay business chamber and friendship members.
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Uruguay's Ambassador to Madrid, Ana Teresa Ayala, in response to controversial statements made by acting Vice President of the Uruguayan government, Graciela Bianchi, concerning Spain's Socialist Party (PSOE) in the wake of the recent Spanish general elections.
Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo Monday told his Mercosur colleagues in Puerto Iguazú that “from the first day we warned that Mercosur had been won over by immobility” and insisted no progress regarding deals with other countries or blocs had been achieved during Argentina's pro tempore presidency of the alliance ending Tuesday.
Uruguay's Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo is leaving shortly for China on a mission to narrow the gap for the South American country to reach a Free Trade Agreement with the Asian giant, it was reported in Montevideo.
Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou and Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo Thursday welcomed a delegation of four US lawmakers at the Presidential Anchorena residence in Colonia. Montevideo's Ambassador to Washington Andrés Durán was also present.
Foreign Ministers Francisco Bustillo of Uruguay and Santiago Cafiero of Argentina Friday agreed to broker a bilateral presidential summit between Alberto Fernández and Luis Lacalle Pou in April, during which a joint declaration is expected to be reached regarding recent agreements between the top diplomats.