“Sometimes there are people who in the desire to campaign take everything ahead and do not care about anything. But things have to matter to us, and it is good to remember to reconstruct a context in which to locate the present and to have analysis tools for the future that we have to build.

And so I want to talk a little about the context. Let’s remember. Those who were able to manage Antel for us, those who wanted to sell it in the 1990s and in 2000, now want to go the same way, that’s right.

In 10 years of good Antel management, we have consolidated a company that was able to contribute 1 billion dollars to general sales, having a public investment of 2,2 billion dollars. To contribute to the State, in taxes, such as the wealth tax, VAT, income tax, in the vicinity of 2,5 billion dollars. And to have earnings of around 1,4 billion dollars. And it is these figures that made it possible to build schools, hospitals, colleges. Have an electronic medical record. And generate thousands of jobs. And also to consolidate the base for the development of Ceibal, Ibirapitá, and of so many jobs of today and of the future.

Today in 2020, they are distracting us with headlines from the Antel Arena, to avoid talking about what is necessary. What we have to talk about is what is the strategic direction Antel is going to take from now on. It would be good to know what the big telecommunications companies in the world are doing. And do you know what it is? They are attending the video, because the video will surely be more than 80% of the traffic on the Internet, if it is not already. The video, they are attending the contents, incorporating entertainment, sports and culture, in their product portfolio. That is what telecommunications companies in the world are doing. Even the big international companies that compete with Antel are doing it here in Uruguay. That is what we have to talk about.

Let’s go back to context. In the ’90s they put together a Public Companies Law to privatize them. In the 2000s they wanted to introduce two items in the accountability so that they could sell Antel for pieces. In 2020 they wanted to introduce 2 articles in the Urgent Consideration Law to give a baseline of Antel’s float. And we, in the ’90s, the entire town, managed to reach a referendum that had a result of overwhelming support for public companies, and we kept them. And in the 2000s, the Popular Movement managed to get the Executive Power to withdraw those articles from that Budget Law. And in 2020, also with the People and with social organizations, we managed to make those two articles of the LUC disappear. And I am sure that if articles that go against Antel appear in the new Media Law, with all our People we will defend it.

Let’s keep analyzing the context. In 2000, they separated the mobile area from the rest of Antel, they even had a different headquarters. And now they want to do the same with Antel Arena, separate the image of Antel Arena from Antel. To discredit Antel Arena de Antel, as if it were an island, and it is not. It is part of Antel. It will be that they want to do the same as they do with the mobile, it will be that they want to sell the Antel Arena.

Deep down, and not so deep down, they still think that it is the invisible hand of the Market that solves everything, but it is not like that. We continue to think, we are convinced, of the role of the State as an entrepreneur. That it has to be efficient, a good articulator with the private sector, and above all, always, a shield for the weak.

And what is the present, with this context? Today they hold a press conference in the afternoon, after there were press coverage in the media in the morning. So that? To announce an audit of things that are already audited. Of course, because Antel is audited every year, by a highly respected, internationally prestigious firm. This audit that they are announcing has to be in less than 30 days, they need to write to me that it has to be ready before September 27 (2020).

We have the most absolute tranquility, and confidence, with all the development of all the projects carried out with the huge team of Antel workers. Fiber optics to the home, the international Submarine Cable project, the Antel Arena, the world-class Datacenter “Ing. José Luis Massera ”in Pando, and VeraTV.

I have full confidence, because I know him, in the professional, technical and work level of each and every Antel worker who makes the company, our company, great. We have the serene conviction of having acted with total honesty and professionalism.

And we are going to continue with this campaign so that the Frente Amplio once again wins the Government of Montevideo. Because the Montevideo I want is the one you want. “

If you liked the content, please share it so that more people can see it :)