The former presidential candidate of the Colorado Party, Carolina Ache Batlle, announced his decision to not supporting the presidential candidate of the National Party, Álvaro Delgadoin the ballot that will be held on November 24, 2024. This statement occurs in the context of his complaint related to the drug trafficker Sebastián Marset, a fact that marked his departure from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRREE).
Ache Batlle stated in an interview with Search that his decision is consistent with the events he has experienced in his political career. “The facts he reported are public knowledge,” he declared, emphasizing that “There are no two versions as the white candidate, among others, has tried to establish.” With such statements, Ache intends to reaffirm his critical stance towards the PN candidate.
The controversy surrounding the Marset case chats
The controversy centers on messages between Ache and the undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Guillermo Maciel, where it was mentioned that Marset was “a heavy drug trafficker” and “dangerous.” Ache reported that, before delivering a Uruguayan passport to Marset in Dubai, they asked him to destroy said chats, which were recorded by a notary public in November 2022 and required by justice.
Dismissing the order to destroy the messages, Ache argued that their legal and public relevance is undeniable. This fact highlights tensions in national politics, where corruption and drug trafficking are issues of great concern.
Carolina Ache, who is the great-niece of former President Jorge Batlle, has shown her commitment to the liberal legacy. Despite this, he decided not to join list 15 of the Colorado Party, leading to the formation of his own group, 919, which did not participate in the last elections. This distancing within the party adds an element of complexity to its current political situation.
List 15, allied with Andrés Ojeda’s List 25, did compete in the elections, which highlights the diversity of positions within the same party. Raúl Batlle, son of the former president, criticized Ache’s statementssuggesting that their distancing is not due to ideological reasons, but rather to personal issues.
More criticism of Carolina Ache’s announcement
The re-elected deputy Felipe Schipani said that the media attention on Ache’s announcement lacks justification. In his statements to El País, Schipani maintained that “a disproportionate dimension is being given to the issue,” arguing that the reasons given by Ache are a consequence of his experience in the chancellery.
Schipani’s perception is that Ache’s distancing at most reflects a personal conflict rather than an ideological political stance. He emphasized that “everyone is free to vote for whoever they want,” pointing out the diversity of opinions within national politics.
During his campaign towards the internal elections, Ache obtained 1,177 votes, a number that reflects his support within a faction of the Colorado Party. His decision not to run for Parliament was marked by the need to clarify his legal situation and avoid speculation about searches for jurisdiction.
Ache communicated his decision to a WhatsApp group on his list, where he expressed his pain at this situation. In her message, she reiterated her commitment to politics as a fundamental part of her life, although at that moment she considered that the most appropriate thing was to abstain from being a candidate.
