This Sunday the 19th, the President of the Republic, Luis Lacalle Pou, accompanied by ministers and members of the Executive Power, placed a floral offering at the foot of the mausoleum where the remains of José Gervasio Artigas rest, located in Plaza Independencia. Then he went to the town of Sauce, in the department of Canelones, where an act was held for the 258th anniversary of the hero’s birth.
The president led the homage to José Artigas in Plaza Independencia in the morning, in which he was accompanied by the Vice President of the Republic, Beatriz Argimón. The Ministers of National Defense, Javier García; Interior, Luis Alberto Heber, and Public Health, Daniel Salinas. In addition, the heads of Social Development, Martín Lema; Tourism, Tabare Viera; Economy and Finance, Azucena Arbeleche, and Labor and Social Security, Pablo Mieres, as well as the Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning, Irene Moreira; the heads of Environment, Adrián Peña; Education and Culture, Pablo da Silveira, and Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Fernando Mattos, and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, Isaac Alfie. Military and police authorities attended.
Then the president went to the town of Sauce, in Canelones, where he participated in the protocol act in homage to the national hero, accompanied by the Vice President of the Republic, Secretaries of State and the Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado. Departmental authorities attended, among them, the mayor of Canelones, Yamandú Orsi.
The Minister of Transport and Public Works, José Luis Falero, designated to represent the Government in the oratory, highlighted the figure of Artigas and affirmed that in the name of the Artiguista legacy, one must look at the present and project the future. In this sense, he referred to the growth achieved by the country in economic, social and productive matters. He highlighted that investment in infrastructure increased exponentially and mentioned that connection roads and bridges were built in record time, works on which he emphasized “that generate development.”
Falero pointed to the decline in unemployment rates, the increase in social benefits and the improvement in health care. In addition, he referred to the work aimed at the eradication of settlements carried out by the Avanzar program and the policies aimed at achieving sustainable development that have been implemented in rural areas.
Finally, he reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building a Uruguay where all inhabitants can fulfill their wishes and exercise the right to freedom.
Once the act was over, President Lacalle Pou and other national and departmental authorities witnessed the traditional parade in charge of the military, social institutions, educational centers and gaucho cavalry.
