The Senate candidate for the Colorado Party, Pedro Bordaberry, has drawn attention to the current state of public security in Uruguay, questioning not only the performance of the current government of Luis Lacalle Pou, but also criticizing the previous 15 years of management of the Frente AmplioDuring his conversation on Channel 10’s “Arriba Gente” program, Bordaberry highlighted his concern about the insecurity problem that afflicts the country.
While recalling his time as a lawmaker, Bordaberry referred to his past warnings about deteriorating security, lamenting that his concerns had not been heard.
“They told us, no, we don’t have a security problem, it’s just a thermal sensation. They told us, we don’t have a security problem, we’re doing things right, and we went as we went”he recalled in his television dialogue.
Bordaberry acknowledged that Lacalle Pou’s government has managed to “stop the deterioration,” but emphasized that the inherited situation has not been improved. He added: “What needs to be done is to improve it, and for that, one party alone is not enough, the Republican Coalition is not enough, because the thief who steals from you does not ask you who you vote for.”
Addressing crime statistics, Bordaberry pointed to a drastic change in 2012, when annual homicides in Uruguay increased from an average of 200 to 400. He explained this phenomenon as part of a side effect of the Plan Colombiaa US effort launched in 2004 and 2005 with a major investment of $5 billion to combat drug trafficking in Colombia.
According to Bordaberry, this successful plan aimed at Colombia had repercussions on the continent, driving the migration of organized crime to countries such as Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and eventually reaching places as close as the province of Buenos Aires, which ended up taking him to Uruguay.
The Colorado Party was shaken by the return of Bordaberry
Bordaberry’s return has caused a significant stir within the Colorado Party, ostensibly marking a new dynamic in its internal structure. While Andrés Ojeda is also consolidating himself as a powerful leader within the party, Bordaberry seems to be gathering the support of important political figures.
The Ciudadanos sector, a wing created by former minister Ernesto Talvi, has fragmented, with several of its members moving to support Bordaberry, while others maintain their loyalty to Robert Silva.
Deputy María Eugenia Roselló summed up the situation pragmatically: “In politics everything is very dynamic; there are situations that arise and you have to accept them. Some colleagues have made the decision to leave Let’s go Uruguaytherefore, they will no longer be Ciudadanos, they will be Vamos Uruguay, with list 10,” he said. “Many others remain in our sector, which is also Crece. We will continue working for our ideas and our ideals.”
The Batllistas sector, led by senators Tabaré Viera and Germán Coutinho, has also shown its support for Bordaberry, fueling renewed interest and internal competition.
Despite the apparent divisions, Bordaberry does not consider these events as a fragmentation, stating: “Here we all have the same objective. We came to add and the pole gives the impression that there are two, and no. Here we are all one.”
For his part, Gustavo Osta, deputy secretary of the Colorado Party, advocated for unity and respect between factions, stating that “it is natural that these types of internal movements are generated. The idea is that each person works where they are best and that this stage does not generate conflicts and is handled with harmonious disagreement.”
