Mujica highlights mutual respect between political forces in the Uruguayan election

The former president of Uruguay, Pepe Mujica, gave an exclusive interview to GloboNews on Monday (25). Hours later, president-elect Yamandú Orsi was at the farm where his political mentor lives.

Questioned by reporter Sylvia Colombo about the electoral climate in the country, seen by Brazilians with great calm, Mujica highlighted that despite the close result in this election, which marked the return of the Frente Amplio to power with 49.8% of the votes against 45.9% of the center-right government candidate, Álvaro Delgado, the country does not have a polarization of forces like others in Latin America.

“We have a political tradition of mutual respect between political forces. I know it’s not like that in other countries. There are three of us ex-presidents left still alive, and [somos] from completely different parties. However, we come together and go to ceremonies together. This is impossible in other countries. It would be like putting Lula with Bolsonaro. Impossible,” he said.

According to Mujica, repeating the speech adopted on Orsi’s platform, it is necessary for the new political leaders to overcome the current ones.

“We need to create a new generation. The best leader is not the one who does the most. It is one that, when it disappears, leaves a legacy that far surpasses it. Why? Because the causes remain and life goes away”, he added.

In the report, the historic leader of Uruguay was asked about the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. For her, alternatives are needed, and one of them must be China.

“We are concerned about the progress of Mercosur. Europe will not accept the agreement. Lula fought, but the opposition from France and Poland is closed. And France is very big in Europe. French farmers are the privileged ones in this story. Plan B is to try to establish better relations with China”, stated Mujica, remembering that the current president of his country, Lacalle Pou, is trying to sign agreements with Asians apart from Mercosur.

Read more: Latin American countries congratulate Frente Amplio for victory in Uruguay

Regarding the animosity between the governments of Brazil and Argentina, Mujica said he is watching carefully, as it is better for Uruguay if ties are strengthened.

“For us it is important that Argentina and Brazil collaborate with each other. The better they are, the better we are [uruguaios] we will be. It’s not for washing your hands. We must be a country that builds a bridge. Not a block. We have to try to agree on a common policy between us, not divide ourselves. And we have to do this with Brazil and put aside Argentina’s rivalry with Brazil, which no longer makes sense”, he explains.

The symbol of the Latin American left was still attentive to Brazilian news, including the revealed scandal of an attempted coup d’état, since what happens here reflects on the entire continent.

“Of course I worry [revelações sobre a tentativa de golpe]. Brazil is, by far, the older brother. What happens in Brazil has repercussions throughout America. Brazil is destined to be a great power because of the evolution of its resources, its economy, the size of its society, a number of things. But the world is very unbalanced. Brazil is arriving very late. The advantage that the central world has is very great. The rest of us Americans need to circle around Brazil and keep up. And Brazil has to understand this for its own convenience and for our convenience. Because one of the problems that we Latin Americans have is that we don’t come together to defend ourselves. And that is ridiculous”, concluded Mujica.

*GloboNews information