VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0488/01 2321417
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201417Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9305
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC MARY DASCHBACH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UY
SUBJECT: URUGUAY: FRENTE AMPLIO CANDIDATE JOSE MUJICA ON 
THE STUMP (C-AL9-01505) 
 
REF: MONTEVIDEO 434 
 	
¶1.  (U)  Summary.  On August 13, Jose ""Pepe"" Mujica and 	
Danilo Astori, the Frente Amplio (FA) candidates for 	
President and Vice President of Uruguay, held a campaign 	
rally in the town of Paysandu.  The event provided a case 	
study into the differing campaigning styles and messages of 	
the two running mates, with Astori ardently defending the 	
FA's record and Mujica publicizing it as a more inclusive 	
party.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
The FA Presidential Ticket Goes to the Interior 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Mujica and Astori arrived in Paysandu in the midst 
of a week-long tour of Uruguay's interior, during which the 
two candidates traveled to various towns in the departments 
of Paysandu, Salto, and Artigas prior to their return to 
Montevideo for their official nomination as candidates August 
¶16.  The site of the event in capital city Paysandu, a 
basketball gym belonging to a local youth center, was filled 
to capacity with thousands of Mujica/Astori supporters, many 
carrying the red, white, and blue Frente Amplio flag atop 
fishing poles.  Just prior to the introduction of the two 
candidates, a parade of youths entered the building beating 
drums in the candombe style - a former slave tradition now 
popularized and performed by many Uruguayans, especially 
during Carnival celebrations. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Following brief speeches by local FA politicians to 
warm up the crowd, Mujica and Astori ascended to the stage. 
Mujica began the night as master of ceremonies, introducing 
the other politicians joining the two candidates on-stage, 
including Paysandu Governor Nino Pintos and Mujica's wife, 
Senator Lucia Topolansky, who received the second-largest 
ovation after Mujica himself.  Finally, Mujica introduced 
Astori, who was met by slightly less enthusiastic, but still 
spirited, applause. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Mujica and Astori: Different Styles and Messages 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Astori's relatively brief speech focused on the 
achievements of current President Tabare Vazquez's 
administration.  While the traditional parties stirred up 
fears of economic instability and risk prior to Vazquez's 
inauguration, he asserted, this FA government has been more 
successful than previous administrations, including that of 
former president and National Party candidate Luis Alberto 
Lacalle, in creating economic growth and in controlling debt. 
 Astori also mentioned some of the most popular Vazquez 
programs, including Plan Ceibal (the one-laptop-per-child 
program), and again attacked Lacalle for his comment about 
cutting the budget with a ""buzzsaw"" (""motosierra""). (Reftel) 
 
¶5. (SBU)  In contrast with Astori's no-nonsense, 
attack-and-defend approach, Mujica's speech was inclusive, 
emphasizing an open door to potential Frente Amplio voters of 
all parties.  Mujica beseeched his supporters not to offend 
opposition party members, whose votes instead would have to 
be won over by the FA through appeals to their consciences. 
He also emphasized the diversity of the Frente Amplio, 
arguing that the coalition is made up of both Christians and 
atheists, as well as former supporters of the Colorado and 
National parties. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  The divergent messages of the two running mates 
were accompanied by notably different styles on the stump. 
Dressed in a sweater and collared shirt, Astori spoke in a 
very formal style, standing ramrod-straight at the podium as 
he described the accomplishments of the Frente Amplio in 
chronological order, starting with the movement's inception 
in 1971.  In contrast, Mujica appeared at ease on stage, but 
projected a much less professional image, wearing jeans 
rolled up at the ankles and drinking the traditional beverage 
mate during his running mate's speech.  When speaking, Mujica 
wandered around the stage with a microphone in his hand, and 
tended to ramble, jumping from topic to topic.  His rhetoric 
was peppered with personal anecdotes (including a story about 
his job at a Paysandu brick factory) and philosophical 
observations (such as his statement that ""every human being 
is the center of a small planetary system"").  While Astori 
spoke for around twenty minutes, Mujica ran on for almost an 
hour, but appeared more adept at capturing the crowd's 
attention through his frequent use of humorous 
colloquialisms. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) With most pollsters viewing the presidential race 
at this point as a dead heat, Mujica's message of inclusion 
likely was geared towards the vital 7% of Uruguayans who 
remain undecided, along with National and Colorado party 
voters who might be disenchanted with their candidates. 
However, he also appears to have taken the offensive in 
recent days, describing National Party vice-presidential 
candidate Jorge Larranaga as a ""lapdog"" (""perro faldero"") in 
a speech following the FA's official nomination of the 
Mujica/Astori ticket.  Following several weeks in which 
Mujica and his opponent Luis Alberto Lacalle have reached for 
the center through conciliatory rhetoric, this comment could 
be an indication of a nastier campaign to come as October's 
election nears.  End Comment. 
 
Matthewman