President Luis Lacalle Pou indicated that one of the reasons why Argentines choose to move to Uruguay it is to “be able to find certainties”and assured that the citizens of the neighboring country that has “crossed” they are “very happy in the country”.
In an interview with journalist Eduardo Feinmann, broadcast by Radio Miter, the president was asked why he believed that more and more Argentines chose to move to Uruguay. At first he stated that “we would have to ask them what the determinants are”and also that many of the Argentines who changed countries “they already had their summer home” in Uruguay.
Later, Lacalle assured that the nation “it’s open doorsnot necessarily only for Argentines, for people who want develop with his family, live in peace and tranquility, and be able to find certainty”.
“When we become adults We started to want to plan in the medium and long term, especially when you have a family”explained the president, who believes that the search for certainty “It is very inherent to the individual, to the human being.”
Lacalle maintained that “Uruguay is a country that luckily generates that certainty,” something he understands demonstrates with “these almost 40 years of continuous democracy” in which “three parties and coalitions have governed” and “various conditions have been maintained” that lead the country to build “trust”.
The “legitimate” pressures of Mercosur for the FTA with China
Lacalle was also asked about the progress in the negotiations between Uruguay and China for Free Trade Agreement (FTA). According to the president, the agreement “is moving forward”although he regretted: “Perhaps the speed that one would like is not what we have today.”
The president explained that China It has “different processes” from those of Uruguay. “We are willing to sit down and sign tomorrow,” ironized
To this difference between countries, Lacalle added that there are “legitimate pressures from the neighbors of the mercosur“which he later clarified come from Brazil and Argentinaso that “Uruguay does not advance unilaterally” in the negotiations with the Asian country.
Feinmann reminded Lacalle of the statements by Argentine President Alberto Fernández, in which he stated that his Uruguayan counterpart “cut himself” in the talks with China, and Lacalle replied: “It is not my intention to argue with Alberto Fernández, but we were always very clear about what Uruguay needed.”
He emphasized that “Uruguay’s attitude is not ‘I got angry and I take the ball'”but they seek “for all of Mercosur to advance”. However, he stressed that there is not much will because each country has its interests”. “There is no urgent will to advance in agreements with other countries, Uruguay does have it,” Lacalle stated.
According to the Uruguayan president, the country He raised his position in multilateral and bilateral “formal meetings”, and also “with his pants off, eating a barbecue” with the Argentine president. “Nobody can say ‘I am surprised by Uruguay’s attitude'”critical.
The president also indicated which are “the three fundamental axes of Uruguayan foreign policy”: negotiation with Chinaa “incipient conversation” by a similar agreement with Turkey and the adherence to the Trans-Pacific Agreement.
