Uruguayan paper blames CFK for low tourism

In an editorial published yesterday by the Uruguayan national daily El Pais, the paper analyzed why fewer Argentine tourists had travelled this year to the popular vacation beach resort Punta del Este, partly blaming the policies of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the closing of the Uruguayan airline Pluna but mainly the increasing crime wave in the past few months which has led it to be nicknamed “Punga del Este (robber of the East)” by many news publications.

The article stated that in the first half of January, 150,000 fewer Argentine tourists had visited the city in comparison to last year, although more Uruguayans had come because it was more affordable now due to lower demand for rental properties and because they were better off than before.

The publication accused President Fernández de Kirchner of being a “bad neighbour,” saying that her objective was to ruin Uruguay’s tourist season by implementing drastic monetary measures which would stop Argentines from being able to visit Uruguay. The editorial proclaimed that it was evident that the president achieved her goal of denying Uruguay a good share of their estimated revenue for this summer season.

‘Robber of the East’

The major concern outlined by the paper was the rising number of criminal heists in the city, which has been the talk of the town recently, earning it the nickname of “Punga del Este.”

A police source had reported to them that criminals aim for foreign tourists because they are believed to have a lot of money, leading to an increase in robberies. This has caused many people to be afraid of vacationing in the city. More people do not trust their surroundings, causing it not to be a stress-free vacation for many.

The editorial called on the Uruguayan government to provide more than better security, it needs to seriously invest in police operations by creating new precincts in several of the popular Punta del Este neighbourhoods of La Barra, Manantiales and José Ignacio. It also urged that they be supported by patrols, motorcycles and trained dogs, surveying the areas day and night.

This must be done in order to assure city’s vacationers and businessmen security. If it this is not done, the editorial concluded by saying that Punta del Este runs the risk of no longer being a great business for the country.

—Herald with DyN