The act held on January 25, in which the Municipality of Montevideo (IM), received the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, and awarded him the “Greenest” distinction due to his environmental policies, cost $1.5 million, reported El País and confirmed The Observer through a request for reports made by the nationalist mayor, Fabian Bravetti.
According to the response of the Administration to this request for information, the majority of this cost was generated by the leasing of electric generators, tents and stands for the Brazilian delegation and the press, the audiovisual service and streaming, the projection on a giant screen; transfer service and setting.
“The required measures and demands of an event covered by national and international press were satisfactorily met“, maintained the IM in the answer.
For its part, the Municipality indicated that $150,000 were allocated to the hats that were delivered to those attending the event, which were green and had the logo of the Montevideo Municipality.
“Democratically elected three times, during his terms Lula da Silva demonstrated in his country, the region and the world, his strong commitment to caring for the environment […] He has implemented sectoral and transversal public policies that integrated the entire civil society, the productive sectors and the institutions of his country”, the Municipality of Montevideo emphasized on its website when it determined the delivery of the distinction.
Lula’s visit and the act he carried out in the Montevideo City Hall generated internal disputes within the Broad Front, especially before the statements criticisms made by the mayor of Canelones, Yamandú Orsi.
Orsi, in dialogue with Doble Click from Del Sol FM (99.5), was the first to express that Lula’s presentation at the mayor’s office seemed like an “act” and not the delivery of recognition. “Error or noise, not entirely convenientis that from our ranks formally through networks they were calling for what ended up being an act“. And he added that within the Broad Front areas, there was never a debate on whether or not to invite through party social networks. “Perhaps it will generate that not very convenient confusion“, he indicated.
Given these statements, leaders of the Socialist Party, more related to the mayor of Montevideocame out in support of Cosse while leaders from other sectors asked for messages of unity and to avoid internal fights.