National Party backs only sanitation loans for Montevideo, citing debt concerns

The National Party has defined its political stance regarding the loan requests made by Montevideo's Intendant, Mario Bergara, to the Departmental Council. The party has resolved to support only those budget lines allocated for sanitation projects, explicitly excluding proposals for cleaning, streets, and the Ciudad Vieja area. Bergara requires a special majority of 21 council members, which necessitates the support of four opposition figures.

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The National Party will not support squeezing Montevideans with more debt. It will support sanitation, as it is the only intendancy that handles it unlike the interior.

Senator Martín Lema, who also chairs the National Party's Departmental Commission, stated that the party opposes "squeezing Montevideans with more debt." He emphasized that support would be given to sanitation, as it is a responsibility unique to the Montevideo intendancy compared to other departments. Lema communicated this decision to Álvaro Delgado, president of the National Party's board, who in turn informed the coordinator of the white bloc of council members, Rafael Seijas, that the party "fully shares" the position of the majority of its departmental legislators.

Lema criticized the current administration, labeling them "compulsive spenders of public resources without respecting taxpayers." He argued that the intendancy has a substantial budget that does not prioritize necessary works and has a history of mismanagement and unmet obligations. "No one lends money to someone who is wasting it and failing to deliver," Lema asserted, expressing a lack of confidence in both the administrator and the process.

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In these 36 years they have shown themselves to be compulsive spenders of public resources without respecting taxpayers. We cannot add fuel when there is such a loss. In all this time they have asked for money to squander it and have a huge budget that does not prioritize works.

Despite the National Party's opposition to most of Bergara's proposals, the Broad Front (FA) coalition is reportedly confident in securing the necessary votes for the loans. The intendancy is counting on the support of four council members: Nicolás Hernández and Joaquín Campos from the Lista 22, the sole Colorado Party council member Federico Paganini, and independent council member Guillermo Kruse. The Departmental Council is scheduled to discuss these loan initiatives.

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There are conditions to improve management and do works instead of continuing to abuse people's effort. There is no confidence in either the manager or the process. No one lends money to someone who is wasting it and failing to deliver.