"There is a possibility that the Broad Front will return to government in Uruguay."

---

Transcript of Karina Batthyány's column
in InfoCLACSO – August 14, 2024

On Sunday, October 27, Uruguayans will go to the polls (as they do every five years) to participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections, with a possible second round, according to Uruguay's current electoral system, on Sunday, November 24. I propose to outline some challenges for the upcoming electoral cycle and also analyze its past, present, and future. 

The election campaign officially began a few weeks ago after the primary elections, and the presidential tickets have now been announced. Some data, obtained through opinion polls, also reveals the preferences of Uruguayans.

Polls place the Broad Front, a left-wing coalition party, at around 44%, the National Party at around 26%, and the Colorado Party at 15%. The Open Cabildo Party, a new political-military party comprised mainly of former military personnel associated with the dramatic period of Uruguayan and Southern Cone history known as the civic-military dictatorship, is also polling at between 2% and 3%.

This scenario presents an interesting contest in the electoral process. There is a possibility that the Broad Front could return to government, as it did for 15 consecutive years.

The presidential tickets are set: Yamandú Orsi and Carolina Cosse for the Broad Front; Álvaro Delgado and Valeria Ripoll for the National Party; Andrés Ojeda and Robert Silva for the Colorado Party; and Guido Manini Ríos and Lorena Quintana for Open Cabildo. All the presidential tickets are headed by a man, and almost all (except the Colorado Party) by a woman, which reflects some of the patterns we've been analyzing at InfoCLACSO.

Today, between 15% and 20% of voters are undecided. We'll see what the election results are, with a contest between two models: the Broad Front proposes an emphasis on social welfare and the role of the State in guaranteeing that welfare for everyone, while the Republican coalition proposes a model more based on the market and neoliberal principles, from the perspective of economics, politics, and society.

What are the challenges facing Uruguay today? First, there is the issue of social inequality and poverty in our Latin American and Caribbean region. Uruguay has a persistent pattern of inequality, certainly less pronounced than in other countries in the region, but it is a challenge, and there is debate about which policies should be implemented to reduce these inequalities. For example, there are inequalities between urban and rural areas or between different neighborhoods within cities, particularly in Montevideo, where this segregation is very marked. The gaps in resource distribution between the richest and the poorest remain a significant concern, along with poverty levels that hover around 10% and have become structural.

Secondly, there are challenges related to education. Particular concern is the completion of secondary education by young people: almost 1 in 3 drop out without finishing.

Third, there is a challenge related to employment in two major dimensions. First, we observe youth unemployment rates higher than those of the general population. The second challenge concerns caregiving, which directly affects the employment prospects of young people, especially women, since they are the ones who assume caregiving tasks and jobs for the entire population given the very limited existence of care policies in Uruguay. The issue of caregiving directly impacts the employment-unemployment relationship, particularly the retention of young women in the labor market.

There are other challenges that other countries in Latin America are also facing related to security, especially regarding the public's perception of safety and insecurity. Furthermore, the infiltration of certain forms of crime that were not previously common in Uruguay, closely linked to drug trafficking, is impacting this perception of insecurity and making it a central issue in the political and electoral campaign.

In turn, health-related issues must be addressed. Uruguay is characterized by having almost universal health coverage, but significant differences remain in the quality of health services accessed, reflecting patterns of inequality. The issue of mental health is particularly concerning, as it is not included in the health coverage system. Uruguay has one of the highest suicide rates in the region.

Another important issue is gender inequality at all three levels of autonomy: economic, physical, and decision-making. These are outstanding issues for the country, which must make progress on gender issues, such as women's representation in decision-making positions in society, their full and permanent integration into the labor market, and their physical autonomy in relation to gender-based violence, which remains a scourge in Latin America.

Nor are challenges related to migration absent. Uruguay has recently become a recipient of migrant populations from other Latin American countries, and it is necessary to consider how to incorporate migration and human mobility as an effective right in terms of their social and economic integration with full rights.

Environmental issues and those related to climate change are also being discussed within the framework of the election campaign: the drinking water crisis, when there was no water in the taps and faucets of our homes for drinking or hygiene, was one of the many that affected us. Ultimately, the policies that each party proposes to address these challenges facing Uruguay in the future must be under discussion.

We are also very concerned about the new Media Law passed in Uruguay less than three months before the elections. This new Media Law essentially eliminates the concepts of monopoly and oligopoly, as well as the definition of the radio spectrum as a common heritage of humanity.

The regulations increase the maximum number of radio and television licenses allowed per holder, and defund an audiovisual promotion fund that fostered a diversity of media and productions in our country. They also limit the capacity of the state-owned company Antel (National Telecommunications Administration) to benefit private companies that concentrate most of the country's media in the hands of a very few.

Finally, I want to mention that these days mark the 175th anniversary of the University of the Republic (Udelar), where I received my education and where I have actively participated in university life as a professor since 1991. Today, academic freedom in our country and in the region is being besieged in parallel with the advance of neoliberal models that treat education as a commodity and not as a right.

On the other hand, I personally recommend Magdalena Broquetas's latest book, Winning the War. It is a very well-documented investigation that addresses the impact of right-wing thought and action in the cultural, educational, religious, trade union, and political spheres, which contributed to shaping the political and social matrix of the right wing from 1967 to 1973.

The topic of the past brought up by Magdalena Broquetas allows me to mention a piece of news that has once again deeply shaken us all: In mid-July, new remains were found at the Infantry Regiment No. 14 grounds in Toledo, about 25 kilometers from Montevideo, and we are waiting to learn who they are and what the circumstances were. The discovery was made possible thanks to the work of the Mothers and Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared organization, the Specialized Prosecutor's Office, and the Team of Anthropologists in Uruguay.

August 14th is commemorated as Student Martyrs' Day in Uruguay, remembering the murder of Líber Arce, a dentistry student, who was shot by police during a 1968 protest demanding student bus fare discounts. As every year, student unions and the Federation of University Students (FEUU) will hold various events and tributes in honor of these students who confronted the repressive policies and state terrorism of the time. We also remember the role of students alongside workers in the resistance against the dictatorial government in Uruguay.

– Do you think there is a genuine discussion taking place regarding the issues mentioned in the context of the election campaign, or is it just limited to more circumstantial matters or issues of media impact?

– I believe these issues are part of the discussion and are shaping the agenda of the electoral debate that has just begun with the announcement of the 2024 presidential candidates. Therefore, for the good and the strengthening of democracy in Uruguay, I hope these issues are indeed on the agenda, not only as challenges but also as opportunities to discuss concrete proposals. At CLACSO, we have promoted these discussions within the framework of our Platforms for Social Dialogue (PDS), especially regarding social inequalities, which have been discussed with academia, public policy, social movements, and social organizations. 

---

---