“We fell asleep, we will be the last country in South America to start vaccinating”

Former Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica did not walk around describing his impressions of how the vaccination campaign in your country against the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19.

“WE we sleep, we trust, we linger and we will almost certainly be the last country in South America to start immunizing. The pity is that we had certain and repeated possibilities, but we close ourselves off from prejudices or illusions“Declared the leader of the radio program he has on station M24, at the same time that he regretted that a question of a scientific nature ends up” politicizing “.

He also pointed out that while the pharmaceutical companies are businesses and the vaccine is a business, there are other countries in the region that are clearly indicating that the problem is growing. “There are facts, there is Bolivia vaccinating. We could also do it ourselves, ”he explained.

Mujica in turn accused against the concept of “new normal”, which has become a common term. “Our only tools are the chinstrap, distance and insulation (…) Life has become obligations. Anyone who can, who works, and from there directly to his house. No socializing, no parties or meetings. And are we going to call it a new normal? “

The former president stressed that the lack of vaccines is produced both by the general urgency to obtain them, as well as by the accumulation of doses, in amounts that in some cases exceed your own needs, what the most developed countries are doing.

“The demand is huge and covers the entire globe and cannot be solved in a matter of days. Moreover, the rich world has monopolized a good chunk of the vaccines which leave their laboratories with their premature purchases, as if to say ‘just in case’. , Pointed out Mujica, who also added that considers that the vaccination deadlines have not been met.

“These days, some media have reported that during the first quarter of this year most people will be vaccinated,” he said, before giving his opinion. “I think the train we’re going on, no matter how many statements,” hard for the pig to whistle. “

The leader of Frente Amplio also indicted the government led by President Luis Lacalle Pou, which he accused of not listening to the opposition and, in some cases, not even members of his own coalition.

“It should have been approached as a national cause, with a clear participation and representation of all, to make the political nuances collaborate (…) but today, because of the information in the newspapers concerning the government, one says that government partners, the former Colorado party, feel committed to the fundamental decisions and there are ministers who complain about having learned certain things from the newspapersWhat can we expect from the government’s attitude towards the opposition, if it leaves little room for partners, ”he added.