Fernando Pereira responded to Delgado: "There is only one Luisdependent" and "what they did was absurd"

Frente Amplio President Fernando Pereira has fired back at National Party President Álvaro Delgado, who accused the government of being "luisdependiente" – overly reliant on President Luis Lacalle Pou. Pereira retorted that the National Party is the true "luisdependiente" in Uruguay, as they fail to consider alternative candidates for the 2029 presidential election.

Delgado had criticized the government for allegedly waiting for Lacalle Pou's guidance before deciding on the budget's accountability bill. Pereira, however, suggested Delgado was desperate because the National Party had adopted a difficult stance. He argued that National Party deputies would face constituents asking why they opposed funding for children, public education, and the police.

Pereira described the National Party's decision to reject the government's budget, which includes increased funding for early childhood and security, as "absurd." He believes that many within the National Party, being intelligent individuals, would recognize the political misstep internally. "Entenderán que lo que hicieron fue absurdo en su fuero interior porque son personas inteligentes, por lo menos varios de ellos que yo conozco, de otros tengo enormes dudas," Pereira stated.

He also dismissed the idea that Frente Amplio is "lacalledependientes" (dependent on Lacalle Pou), asserting they simply read the newspapers. Pereira accused the National Party of prematurely assuming victory in an election that is far from decided, calling their approach politically "clumsy." Delgado had previously criticized the way the Broad Front Coalition announced its decision not to vote for the budget, calling it "not the best way to communicate."