The decision that the son of the former president was Tabaré Viera’s successor at the head of the portfolio had the endorsement of the Presidency, but the consequent controversy made him step aside.
The son of the former president Julio María Sanguinetti, Julio Luis Sanguinettirefused to be the next minister of Tourism, replacing the current holder of the portfolio, Tabare Viera, who will leave his position to compete in the internal Colorado for the candidacy for the presidency of Uruguay. From Presidency They had accepted the appointment but the former vice president of UTE declined the offer after strong criticism from the candidate of the Colorado Party, Gabriel Gurméndez.
Although it was one of the names that already sounded like a possibility among the ranks of the government shortly before the end of the summer season and, with it, Viera’s management at the head of Tourism – whose final date in the portfolio is 11 March—, the news that Julio Luis Sanguinetti had been chosen for the position was confirmed by sources from the Colorado Party to Radio Sarandí, shortly before noon.
As he advanced Ambit On Tuesday, the nomination of Sanguinetti, who was former vice president of the National Administration of State Electrical Power Plants and Transmissions (UTE)had been approached by the former president himself, and was in a bid with the deputy Marne Osorio Lima, candidate designated by the same Minister of Tourism to be his successor. The third alternative was the senator Germán Coutinho, who had the least support.
Finally, the proposal of the two-time Uruguayan head of state was accepted by the Presidency by Luis Lacalle Pou. However, the decision sparked controversy, initially, within the red ranks and, finally, Sanguinetti Jr. declined the offer.
“I have decided not to accept to work for the victory of the Republican Coalition this year!”, expressed the former vice president of UTE on his social networks, as an explanation for the decline that, in any case, he considered an honor.
Gurméndez’s criticism
The first to come out to criticize the president’s decision to appoint Julio Luis Sanguinetti as the next Minister of Tourism, and who, apparently, had an important impact on the matter, was the pre-candidate Gabriel Gurmendez, who used his social networks to make his opinion public: “The Colorado Party for which I work will be at the service of Uruguayans and the future of the country. This is not it, power is not transferred from father to son, it is not a family issue,” he noted.
“I’m sorry, this is a bad decision,” considered the former president of Antel.
Sanguinetti Jr. was involved in the Red Crab Case in 1997, a case in which he was investigated for alleged participation in a fishing concession and a port remodeling project. At that time, the lawyer and career politician was supposed to have collected a bribe of one million dollars but, in the end, the investigation was shelved without his involvement being proven.
Likewise, it was mentioned in an audio between the former manager of Lunacar, subsidiary of Vertical Skies in Uruguay, Marcelo Acuña, and the former head of presidential custody Alejandro Astesiano —who was requested by the former to prepare files with personal data of the Frente-Amplista senators Mario Bergara and Charles Carrera.
In the message, Acuña says he had a meeting with Sanguinetti to establish business contacts with third parties in the energy sector.
Source: Ambito
