Sendic sent a letter to his colleagues on the 711 List, in which he announced his decision to step aside from organic party activity.
He recalled that former President Tabaré Vázquez appointed him as head of ANCAP to fulfill a plan that was pre-established in the Government Program. “We did not invent anything, everything was written. 1,200 million dollars of investment to rescue a company that was sunken and that they had wanted to give it to the Spanish”.
He said that then all the demons were unleashed, “those inside and outside” and in 2017, tired of so much groping and trying not to harm the course of the government, he resigned from the vice presidency, because he was never tied to any chair.
“I endured a virulent campaign that was unleashed from politics and from the press. From within and from without,” Sindic stated in his letter.
He also expressed that he has maintained a respectful silence, “not only for the leaders but for the thousands of Frente Amplio members who throughout the country have held the flag high.”
He apologized for the mistakes he may have made, and assured that he has an enormous peace of mind. “Beyond the stupidities that some repeat out of malice or ignorance about the 800 million dollars, the ranches or the Sendic service stations.”
He assured that the FA is the only tool capable of confronting this system that concentrates wealth and generates injustice represented by the parties of the government coalition.
“I am not going to be organically with you, because I understand that we must bet on a replacement that guarantees the continuity of the project,” Sendic assured in his letter.
The letter
Here is the full text of Sendic’s letter to the members of the 711 List.
Dear friends:
A few weeks ago we were analyzing in a meeting the decision I have made to step aside from party activity. We agreed to continue discussing this, but after this time I have thought to write these lines to make my position very clear.
I have been in politics since I was born, practically as a result of family circumstances, as you know very well. I grew up visiting the barracks, seeing the old man in some clandestine meeting, witnessing the raids of the armed forces at home and helping to hold the pot when my mother was fired from all her jobs for being Sendic’s wife.
Then came the exile back in the 80s, the studies in Cuba, the international campaign for the liberation of the Tupamaro hostages and the integration into March 26, which participated in the reorganization of the FA abroad.
The return to Uruguay in the days when we conquered democracy and from there the militancy that led me to be close to Tabaré, Pepe, Licandro and many other colleagues who have been referential for me.
I was an opposition deputy in the Batlle government and actively participated in the people-to-people campaigns that led us to win the government in 2005. From then on, and at the proposal of Tabaré, I went to ANCAP to carry out a plan that was pre-established in the Program of government. We did not invent anything, everything was written. 1,200 million dollars of investment to rescue a company that was sunken and that they had wanted to give it to the Spanish. Biofuels, ALUR, refinery, lime and portland plants, oil exploration, among other investments that the company developed and amortized, helped by a capitalization of 600 million that was made in 2015. I was Minister of Industry and Energy, we put together several colleagues that center for strategic studies Uruguay 2030 that helped us integrate a multisectoral look at the problems and challenges that the country had and still has ahead.
With valuable colleagues, we created a new political sector within the FA that grew explosively in a short time and became one of those that made the most contributions to the FA, the 711 List.
Then I had the immense honor of integrating the presidential formula with Tabaré and winning the elections to the right to install a third term of government of the FA. A huge honor.
Then all the demons were unleashed…, insiders and outsiders, and in 2017, tired of so much groping and trying not to harm the course of the government, I resigned from the Vice, I was never tied to any chair.
I endured a virulent campaign that was unleashed from politics and from the press. From inside and from outside… How many times have I heard FA leaders say ‘if I were Sendic I would do this or that thing…’ and I put that aside without responding, how I didn’t respond to many grievances of all kinds that were launched from different places. No one can be Sendic because each one of us is a child of the circumstances that they had to live through and many of those who spoke did not live through a good part of the things that I had to live through. I have maintained a respectful silence, not only for the leaders but for the thousands of members of the Front who have held the flag high throughout the country.
To all of them I have apologized for the mistakes I may have made knowing that the campaign was fierce and the battle was not easy. But I also tell you that I have an enormous peace of mind, I was in very important places and I am proud to have left without a penny, beyond the stupid things that some repeat out of malice or ignorance about the 800 million, the rooms or the seasons of Sendic service.
The grievance of some or many cannot drag us all into the same mud. Each one in its place.
The right plays its game and the left has a hard time understanding it and standing up against these campaigns that day after day and day after day throw and dirty people, colleagues, fathers or mothers, children, human beings, without noticing the damage that this can do to the individual, to the family and to politics itself and to society.
Sometimes politics uses Justice, unfortunately, and every now and then a lamb is offered to the gods to cleanse the guilt as it happened in old societies. That is how it is and it will continue to happen.
But well, after this review that you know well, because you are the ones who were firm accompanying me in this process. Others did not, others rushed to jump into the water and put distance because they did not agree or to be able to keep their seats (there is everything) but you have kept the 711 flag high, you have had the conviction that this sector is necessary in the FA and have worked and militated with full force.
The last FA government left many things pending, we have talked about that. There is a lot to do and there is no other place to do it than the FA. I say this because we have discussed this point a lot: beyond criticism or discrepancies, there is no other political space in the country that is capable of advancing towards justice and equality other than the FA.
I personally believe that the FA has undergone changes that require greater conviction. A great united will is needed in the face of the deterioration of internal relations or the growing ego of some leaders. It takes a lot of attachment to the poorest to put their needs on the table in a Front that is very concerned about winning the political center and does not give enough importance to these vulnerable sectors. The broad social base that is needed to win a next government and to govern effectively can only be built from the humblest. Only from there can the emancipatory and artiguist flag be raised that brings justice to the entire society.
The FA is the only tool capable of confronting this system that concentrates wealth and generates injustice represented by the parties of the coalition that governs us.
I wish that this group of comrades preserve their unity that has been put to the test so many times. Personally, I am going to closely follow these topics, which are the ones that convince me. I am not going to be organically with you because I understand that we must bet on a replacement that guarantees the continuity of the project. You will decide what you do, obviously you have plenty of capacity, commitment and united spirit to define the future course. I will be close, accompanying them with all my heart but I also have many things to solve and I feel that it should not be me, but other colleagues who can lead this process of reconstruction and growth that allows the FA to contribute what the FA needs.
I take this step convinced and I hope they know how to understand it, I will always have them in my mind and heart because they are part of my life, the best of my life. There will be time to meet again, but in the meantime we will continue dreaming together of the best dawn for our compatriots.
A huge hug and until victory! Forever!”.
