At 83, Sanguinetti will try to return to power

MONTEVIDEO.- Former President of Uruguay
Julio María Sanguinetti yesterday launched his pre-candidacy for

presidential elections

, aiming to form an opposition coalition and with Venezuela as one of the axes of his campaign.

"The balancing will not take place this time between two parties, or between Juan and Pedro, it will be on one side those who believe that Venezuela is a democracy and on the other side, we believe it to be 39, a dictatorship, "said Sanguinetti. press conference at his home in the Montevideo neighborhood in Punta Carretas, where he officially announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Colorado Party, in which he appears as a favorite.

The 83-year-old double president (1985-1990 and 1995-2000) said his return to the political arena had two goals: that the Colorado party regain a decisive electoral position and install the idea of ​​a government coalition that overturns the elections. towards the broad front (FA, on the left).

"In both cases, we have made progress, the Colorado party is now in a position of electoral decision and badysts recognize that the change depends on the growth of the Colorado party and that the idea of ​​the coalition is fundamental because it The opposition itself is about building an alternative "to avoid a fourth consecutive federal government," he said.

While acknowledging that at his age, the decision to run "was not simple", seized on the occasion to make a comparison while smiling: "(German Chancellor Konrad) Adenauer s & 39; was removed from the government at the age of 88 and had rebuilt Germany.And Nero, at the age of 31, set fire to Rome, so that this age could be useful to one thing or another. "

Even before formalizing his candidacy, the ballot boxes showed Sanguinetti's leadership inside his party.

According to a survey of the Factum consultancy, held from February 6 to 13, 59% of people who intend to vote in the red interior are inclined to the former president, 24% prefer the young economist Ernesto Talvi and 17 % would choose Senator José Amorín Batlle.

Sanguinetti was the president of the Uruguayan democratic transition when he was elected to the popular vote in 1985 after 13 years of civilian-military dictatorship. He won the elections again in 1995.

This social democratic leader is one of the leaders of the Colorado Party, which, in its 180-year history, has dominated the country's governments.

However, the group fell to its lowest level of popularity following the administration of Jorge Batlle (2000-2005), who faced one of the biggest economic crises in Uruguay in 2002. Since then, the Colorados have remained the third political force.

The internal elections of the Uruguayan political forces will take place on Sunday, June 30th. From there will emerge only one candidate per party, who will participate in the presidential elections, whose first round will be decided on October 27th.