Uruguay
Martín Lema questioned Yamandú Orsi and also targeted government ministers
The National Party senator spoke at an event marking the anniversary of list 404 and drew distinctions with the current administration on leadership, social policy, health and security. He also leveled criticism at Cristina Lustemberg and Carlos Negro.
National Party senator Martín Lema questioned President Yamandú Orsi during an event marking the 18th anniversary of list 404 held at the Centro Gallego, according to El País. There, he said that reaching the presidency does not guarantee leadership and contrasted that idea with the figure of former president Luis Lacalle Pou.
According to that outlet, Lema said the current government represents a model different from that of the previous administration and focused part of his criticism on social policies. In that context, he raised differences over transfers aimed at reducing child poverty and defended the requirement that children attend school. He also praised the decision to maintain the removal of the income cap to keep Family Allowances under the Equity Plan.
On health, Lema said, according to El País, that the country went from a regulator who provided guarantees to a minister who makes decisions that put the system at risk, referring to Cristina Lustemberg. He also questioned announcements about new medicines, arguing that in most cases they were already available, and said there had been no progress in reducing waiting times for specialists.
He also addressed security and said he missed former Interior ministers Jorge Larrañaga, Luis Heber and Nicolás Martinelli. About the current head of the ministry, Carlos Negro, he said he began his term “defeated” and that the messages he conveys are counterproductive, again according to what was published by El País.
During his speech, Lema also added that the national government has, in his view, a “destructive bias toward Montevideo.” Among those present at the event were Luis Heber, Álvaro Delgado, Luis Lacalle Herrera and the mayor of Rocha, Alejo Umpiérrez.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
