The Mayor of Montevideo, Carolina Cosse, has raised his voice against the increase of sodium in the water supply by the OSE. In an opinion column titled “Defense of Life,” published in the ABC Weekly and distributed by the mayor, the mayor relied on the poem by renowned writer Mario Benedetti to express her concern. In addition, she highlighted the importance of the ABC Plan, which provides bottled water in polyclinics and other places.
Carolina Cosse began her article lamenting the need to resort to the poem by Mario Benedetti, “Defending Joy”to convey your message. However, he affirmed that sometimes he cannot avoid thinking about this poem that encapsulates the essence of what is necessary and good in our society. For the mayor, the defense of joy represents the search for a better world, where the best of human beings are invoked and they fight for what is just.
Cosse pointed out that fear is the antonym of joy and referred to constant fear as a dominant element in our lives. This fear can be the product of personal experiences, cultural or even religious elements.. In the current context, he highlighted that fear has extended to the simple act of drinking water from the tap.
The ABC Plan as a defense of life, according to Cosse
During the pandemic, the Municipality of Montevideo implemented the ABC plan as a political and institutional response to widespread fear. However, beyond the health emergency, the ABC Plan has become a Fundamental tool in the midst of the water crisis.
The plan has made it possible to distribute water in polyclinics, picnic areas, nursing homes, BPS complexes, schools and animal shelters. The actions undertaken by the mayor reflect an ethic of life, a conviction that it is necessary to ensure the collective well-being and confront inequities and injustice.
The mayor stressed that the ABC plan, which was initially conceived as an emergency plan, has become a permanent initiative of his administration. Defending the right to water is, in essence, defending life itself.
Carolina Cosse concluded her article by referring to the ethics of life as the main engine of individual and collective actions.. In moments of crisis, there is always the possibility of choosing the path that allows us to move towards what is fair and correct. Although this path is not easy, it is crucial to keep in mind the ethics of life and the commitment to the general good.
