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LATIN AMERICA |
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President-Elect Mujica
Calls On Uruguayans
“To Talk Less And Work More”
MONTEVIDEO -
President elect Jose Pepe Mujica said that
Uruguay has a strategic position in the
region with a great future and he conceives
the country not as a “wedge” but as a
“bridge”.
Mujica made the statements on Friday during
a forum with local businessmen and
representatives of foreign corporations with
interests in Uruguay.
“Uruguay has a strategic position in the
region and therefore a great future”, but he
also admitted that the country must be
careful how it administrates relations with
the region, a difficult task but strategic”.
“The region for us is something very
serious. I can’t conceive Uruguay as a wedge
or a plug, but rather as a bridge and this
should be an issue of unity, a rallying
point for all Uruguayans”, he insisted.
Further on Mujica called on Uruguayans not
to blame the rest of the world for the evils
and shortcomings of the country. “We must
act with more responsibility”.
“The country has matured: the time we only
asked for things and favours belongs to the
past and has been replaced by a more
responsible country. The time we blamed our
problems on the world is over, the world
remains unmoved by what happens to us, we
must begin to depend on ourselves”, he
insisted.
Mujica also called on all Uruguayans “to
work more and talk less”, adding that “we’re
not in paradise or pretend it is at hand’s
reach, but we are certainly not at the door
of the apocalypse”.
Finally he underlined that winning the
elections was not something out of the blue
or mere luck: “it was hard work, every day.
All depends on our efforts”.
In related news the Electoral Court formally
proclaimed Thursday the winning ticket of
last Sunday’s run-off that will be taking
office next March first for the following
five years.
President Jose Mujica and Danilo Astori
obtained the majority with 52.39% of the
vote and the National Party ticket, Luis
Alberto Lacalle and Jorge Larrañaga garnered
43.51%.
Even when voting is compulsory in Uruguay
the turnout was spontaneously enthusiastic
and reached 89.18%. Blank votes totalled
2.32% and null and spoilt votes, 1.75%.
The United States embassy in Montevideo also
made public the statement by State
Department spokesperson Ian Kelly on
Sunday’s election: “We congratulate
President-elect Mujica on his election and
commend the people of Uruguay for their
strong commitment to democracy.
“Uruguay is a valued partner of the United
States in many areas, including
international peacekeeping operations, and
as a leader in the promotion of democracy
and stability in the region.
“We look forward to working with the
president-elect to deepen our partnership
and advance common goals for the benefit of
the people of Uruguay and of the Americas”.
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