President Luis Lacalle Pou confirmed his intention to meet with his partner Argentina, Javier Milei, to talk about various topics, among which the Uruguayan exports, that could benefit after suffering the protectionism of the previous government of the neighboring country.
Lacalle Pou He acknowledged that he spoke on the phone with Milei in advance of his trip to Davos Forum and he committed to the Argentine president to, as soon as their agendas coincide, “eat a steak and talk about common issues,” among which the position on the Mercosur.
When plotting where the axes of the conversation would go, the head of state gave as an example “the dredging 14 meters from the access channel to the Port of Montevideo and the payment of Uruguayan exports”, matter on which he indicated that “it has become more complex due to measures adopted by Argentina”, in reference to the management he headed Alberto Fernandez.
Another important aspect has to do with future public works. In this sense, Lacalle Pou was excited about achieving “the kickoff” for the international bridge Montecaseros-Bella Unión. “It would do very good to the north of the country, to the Argentine Republic. There is a willingness to finance and we will see if we can start that bridge,” he said.
Lacalle Pou will insist on making Mercosur more flexible
On the other hand, the Uruguayan president confirmed that he is going to insist on his position to make the Mercosur despite the “relative lack of success” so far and recognized that the government of Milei “It would be more aligned with our intention.”
“We have had our preaching with relatively little success so far,” lamented the leader of the National Party and recalled that “the Mercosur It is governed by consensus and not by majority, according to its statutes”, something that makes the negotiation more complex.
However, there was hope with Argentine support, which could be added to that of Paraguay, with the president Santiago Pena. “The new government would be more aligned with our intention. I hope this is the case formally, but if tomorrow Brazil does not want it or Paraguay does not want it, we are toast,” he expressed.
Finally, regarding his intention for the regional bloc, Lacalle Pou He stated that he brought his idea “again and again in summits and private conversations” and stated: “We do not want to go alone, we want to move forward. In this world to stay still is to go backwards.”
“Why does a country that has a vocation to export, that has faith and wants to open itself to the world, always have to be holding on to its shirt and not be able to move forward?” the president questioned, pointing to the Mercosur as “the fifth most protectionist region in the world.”
Source: Ambito
