The recent presentation of the cabinet by the president-elect, Yamandú Orsi, has generated a significant reconfiguration in the Senate. Seven senators from the Frente Amplio will assume ministries in the new government, which will result in a notable change in the composition of the bench. This shift raises uncertainty about who will fill the vacancies that will be free after his departure to the Executive Branch.
Of a total of 14 ministries, eight will be occupied by elected senators. Specifically, Alejandro “Pacha” Sánchez will be the new Secretary of the Presidency, and Cristina Lustemberg will take the position of Minister of Public Health. Also appointed were Edgardo Ortuño as Minister of the Environment, Sandra Lazo in National Defense, Cecilia Cairo in Housing and Territorial Planning, Alfredo Fratti in Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Lucía Etcheverry in Transportation and Public Works, and Gonzalo Civila in Social Development.
Substitutions and dilemmas in the MPP
The mixed substitution system, used by the Popular Participation Movement (MPP), will play a crucial role in this transition. When Sánchez assumes his new role in the Presidency, Bettiana Díaz, who ranked number 11 on the list, will take his place in the Senate. This accommodation comes after Charles Carrera’s line and his substitutes were excluded from the Senate due to the results of the elections.
Senators like Lazo, in addition to taking leave for their new ministries, will leave their seats for other appointments. For his part, Ortuño will see Eduardo Brenta assume his presidency. The MPP faces a dilemma in relation to senators Cairo, Fratti and Etcheverry, who were elected as deputies and must decide in which chamber they want to serve.
Pending decisions in the Executive Branch
The three senators mentioned have the option to choose between the Chamber of Senators and the Chamber of Deputies. If they opt for the Senate, their respective substitutes will be Julieta Sierra, Inés Cortés and Nicolás Mesa. If they are elected as deputies, three names from the relegation list would fill their vacancies, including the singer-songwriter Mario Carrero and the former mayor of Artigas, Patricia Ayala.
The replacement situation is further complicated by the appointment of Lustemberg, whose replacement is under discussion between Patricia Kramer and Rodrigo Márquez, both with the possibility of entering the new cabinet. Likewise, Civila will see Gustavo González assume his position, previously known for his role in the Uruguayan Federation of Cooperatives for Mutual Aid (Fucvam).
Candidacies and new directions
Another notable change focuses on Senator Mario Bergara, who, unlike other colleagues, will not be part of the Executive. However, Bergara is emerging as a candidate for mayor of Montevideo, in a support confirmed by various sectors. This candidacy will require him to request a license, leaving the seat to Elbia Pereira, current general secretary of the Pit-Cnt.
Elba Pereira, like Bergara, joins a list of Frente Amplio figures who are preparing for the near political future. In addition to them, other senators such as Blanca Rodríguez, Daniel Caggiani, and Sebastián Sabini, among others, will make up the new Frente Amplista bench.
