At a press conference, as a result of the interpellation promoted by the Broad Front, Arbeleche said that the economic policy that he is carrying out in these two years of pandemic is characterized by “providing very forceful, very strong support to the most vulnerable sectors and to companies smallest in the country.
He stressed that, “however, this support did not translate into tax increases, a commitment that the entire coalition government had assumed.”
“We are in a time of recovery in economic activity, we have several positive indicators that go hand in hand with very good data in the labor market,” said the Secretary of State.
Arbeleche assured that in the first quarter of the year 70 thousand jobs were created compared to the same quarter of the previous year. “We have a very low number of people on unemployment insurance, in what is the historical comparison, and all this tells us about a dynamism in the labor market that we have to continue.”
“We have to continue working to support the most vulnerable sectors, so that there is more growth and more employment, which is the ultimate goal of all economic policy,” he said.
On the other hand, Arbeleche referred to support for the most vulnerable people. “The transfers that have been made from the Ministry of Social Development have multiplied by 56% in real terms in the first year of the pandemic, then by 26%, and the transfers that were made in the last year compared to the pre-pandemic, that is, 2021 compared to 2019, these transfers doubled.
He added that to this is added the Early Childhood Program for which “50 million dollars were allocated.”
He reviewed the program to provide a housing solution to people living in settlements. The Secretary of State highlighted two important characteristics for the measures that have been announced in recent weeks. “On the one hand, targeting so that the measures reach the most vulnerable population; and the other side the sustainability of these measures over time”.
“We cannot give support that we are going to withdraw tomorrow. If there is something certain at this time, it is uncertainty. We do not know how long the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will last and, therefore, we have to act responsibly, taking care of the money of all Uruguayans to give the most efficient responses possible and that reach the population that he needs it”, sentenced Arbeleche.
Wages
On the other hand, he assured that “this entire coalition government is committed to maintaining real wages.”
“For the public sector, this is in article 4 of the Budget Law; for the private sector it arises from the guidelines of the salary rounds, that is, in a tripartite manner, government, workers and businessmen”, he detailed.
He pointed out that the coalition government sees the instrument of solidarity wages as a positive element to help overcome the situation, in which a greater push is needed. Although he insisted that the important thing is the “genuine creation of employment, which will come with greater investment and greater growth.”
