The figure of the adjunct minister continues to be a topic of constant debate in Uruguayan politics. Over the years and administrations, this practice remains in force, adopting new forms and numbers, but without losing its original essence. Different parties have expressed their opinion on the matter, proposing changes and restrictions, but reality shows that the trend remains the same.
A Look at the Past and Present
In the last election campaign, the Popular Participation Movement (MPP) proposed limiting the number of assistants per minister to five. Similarly, Pablo Mieres, candidate of the Independent Party, advocated reducing these positions as a sign of political responsibility.
A decade ago, the opposition National Party urged the Frente Amplio government to eliminate these positions in order to reallocate resources to more priority areas.
“The figure of the adjunct remains as valid as it was in 2010,” said a political analyst, recalling when President José Mujica formalized these positions through article 58 of the Budget Law, allowing ministers to hire trusted technicians or leaders for the duration of their mandate.
Growth and Current Distribution
The year 2023 ended with 67 secondments distributed among the 14 ministries, an increase of ten compared to the previous year, although an increase had also been recorded then. Although this number is lower than the 86 secondments at the end of the Tabaré Vázquez government, it continues to show an upward trend.
The coalition, which began its mandate with half of the number of appointees inherited from the Frente Amplio, has seen this number grow year after year. The ministries maintain and increase their trusted staff, regardless of the changes in the cabinet.
For example, in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, two assistants appointed by Luis Alberto Heber in 2021 remain in their positions, with salaries of $198 thousand and $217 thousand respectively. José Luis Falero, the current minister, decided to retain them and add two new trusted collaborators.
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two current adjuncts accompanied Omar Paganini from his previous position at the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining. One of them is his driver and the other his press advisor.
Selection Criteria and Variety of Profiles
The law requires that each deputy “prove sufficient suitability” for the assigned tasks, but in practice, confirmation is usually based on the signature of the minister in charge. The diversity of profiles is wide: lawyers, economists, accountants, former mayors, and even university students with little work experience.
An analysis of the CVs submitted to the Accountability Report by the National Civil Service Office (ONSC) reveals that one third of the staff did not complete a university education. In addition, 25 of them work in communications tasks, despite the fact that all ministries already have departments dedicated to this function.
In terms of demographics, six out of ten members are men and a similar proportion are over 40 years of age. However, there are exceptions: Matías Lescano, 21 years old, is the youngest member, while Dr. Gustavo Gaye, 72, is the oldest.
Remuneration and Associated Costs
In December 2023, the average salary of an adscript was $129,000. The lowest salaries were the $35,000 received by a marketing analyst and a law student at the Ministry of Labor. In contrast, former senator José Carlos Cardoso at the MTOP and Daniel Fernández at the Ministry of Social Development received the highest salaries, $217,528 and $224,538 respectively.
The total monthly cost of these charges in December amounted to about $8.7 million, representing an annual projection of about $2.6 million, if held constant.
The Future of Debate
Unlike previous campaigns, the programmes presented so far have not focused on the figure of the seconded officer. The ministerial resolutions for these contracts are usually brief and lacking in detail.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security, headed by Pablo Mieres, ended 2023 with the highest number of secondments: nine in total. It is followed by the Ministries of the Interior and Environment, with eight each; the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Education and Culture with six each; and finally, the MSP and the MTOP with five each.
