Two times former Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez died early morning Sunday in Montevideo at the age of 80 after suffering from lung cancer and pancreatic metastasis. By early afternoon and following on the family's wishes Vazquez was buried in a private ceremony at the La Teja cemetery, the working neighborhood where he grew up.
Former President Jorge Batlle, an extroverted and irreverent politician who was a force in Uruguayan politics for half a century and led it during one of its worst economic recessions, died on Monday.
Argentina's Secretary General to the Presidency Anibal Fernández hit back to ex president of Uruguay Jorge Batlle who on Wednesday said Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez “hopes to be sacked from the government.”
Former Uruguayan President Jorge Batlle said that Argentine President Cristina Fernandez “wants to be kicked out of government”, replicating Argentine opposition comments.
Uruguayan former president Jorge Batlle (2000/2005) said on Facebook that Argentina will again be a normal country when President Cristina Fernandez disappears from the political stage. And when this happens the Argentines are going to be happier and as a consequence so will we.
Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica, speaking without realizing a microphone was on, referred to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as that ‘old lady’ saying she is “worse” than her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner.
Uruguayan former president Jorge Batlle recalled in his Facebook column that when a still unknown Hugo Chavez visited Uruguay back in 1994, the now left-leaning ruling coalition didn’t take him seriously and the leader of the movement at the time General Liber Seregni did not receive him.
Four former elected Uruguayan presidents openly discussed Mercosur revealing an overall disenchantment with the regional political and trade group but with different emphasis as to what was the path to follow.
Former president Jorge Batlle (2000/2005) said that the inclusion of Venezuela in Mercosur “is favourable for Uruguay” but at the same time insisted it was “wrongly done” for not having taken into account Paraguay’s opposition currently suspended as member of the regional block.
Three former Uruguayan presidents recommended the current administration that without abandoning Mercosur, it should look at major trade blocks associations but at the same time a strong self criticism is needed because maybe the problem is not in Mercosur but in Uruguay.