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Senator Lema Criticizes Mayor Bergara for Downplaying Street Racing Issues
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Elections & Politics

Senator Lema Criticizes Mayor Bergara for Downplaying Street Racing Issues

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Senator Martín Lema criticized Montevideo Mayor Mario Bergara for downplaying the issue of illegal street racing, known as 'picadas'.
  • Lema argued that these races significantly harm residents' quality of life and freedom, demanding action from the mayor.
  • Bergara stated that a recent fatal incident was caused by a family clan conflict, not the race itself, though he acknowledged ongoing efforts to curb illegal racing.

Senator Martín Lema has sharply criticized Montevideo Mayor Mario Bergara, accusing him of minimizing the serious problem of illegal street racing, or 'picadas,' in the capital. Lema expressed "indignation" over Bergara's remarks that the recent death of a 12-year-old boy at the Parque Rodó quarries was not caused by the race itself but by a conflict between family clans.

These races mean the loss of freedoms for many residents and constant worry about their existence, which generates coexistence problems. We are in an extremely critical situation regarding coexistence in Montevideo.

— Martín LemaSenator Lema described the impact of illegal street races on residents' lives and the general atmosphere in Montevideo.

"These races mean the loss of freedoms for many residents and constant worry about their existence, which generates coexistence problems. We are in an extremely critical situation regarding coexistence in Montevideo," Lema stated, emphasizing the negative impact on residents' lives. He urged the mayor to take action by listening to the community and working to strengthen social harmony.

Mayor Bergara, however, maintained that the tragic event stemmed from a family feud. He reported that police investigations indicated the attackers targeted rivals who were present at the gathering. Bergara also highlighted that his administration conducted over 260 operations against illegal racing in the past year, with 63 specifically targeting the Parque Rodó quarries, though he admitted no operation was active at the exact moment of the attack.

The trigger for the tragic events was not the race itself, but a conflict between family clans.

— Mario BergaraMontevideo Mayor Bergara explained his view on the cause of a recent fatal incident.

Lema recalled his electoral proposal to create a municipal guard. This unit would serve as a deterrent against crime and infractions, and also address growing coexistence issues. He envisioned this guard, in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior, tackling problems like unauthorized graffiti, illegal racing, and excessive noise, all of which disrupt social harmony.

The mayor has to take action, listening to the residents, and seeking to strengthen coexistence.

— Martín LemaSenator Lema urged the mayor to address the community's concerns about public order.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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