The president of Uruguay and two of his predecessors at an event condemning those who attack freedom of expression.

The Anne Frank Center for Latin America awards ceremony, held in Buenos Aires on Monday, left a series of gestures regarding democratic coexistence and a message of condemnation for those who attack freedom of expression , from the mirror on the other side of the river. On the stage of the gala, in Buenos Aires' Teatro San Martín, Yamandú Orsi, the current president of Uruguay, and two of his predecessors, Luis Lacalle Pou and José María Sanguinetti , were jointly awarded .

" The value of words is undoubtedly very powerful ," said the current Uruguayan president after receiving the award alongside his peers from different political parties. With the consensus of all three regarding his status as the current president, it was Orsi who took the floor. He spoke of the " messages of hate " that are directed at Latin American leaders—and also emanate from them—and, without saying so, contrasted the realities of institutionality in Uruguay and the value of its democratic transitions.

In his opening speech at the gala, Héctor Shalom , director of the Anne Frank Center Argentina, emphasized, in line with the evening's considerations and the image of the Uruguayan dialogue, a line of similarity with the work of the institution that carried out the awards ceremony: "We are dedicated to pointing out that the deficiencies of democracy can only be resolved with more democracy . I trust that after all this, the hands to work on this will multiply."

The three Uruguayan leaders were honored for their "commitment to democratic continuity, institutional respect, and the building of peaceful coexistence ," an example in the region and based on actions that President Orsi emphasized.

The event was held on the anniversary of the birth of Anne Frank, the teenager who, during the Nazi era, wrote a diary that became a testament to hope and resistance. Media outlets, journalists, governments, and figures from the fields of culture, human rights, justice , and business were recognized for their contributions to coexistence in diversity, a culture of peace, inclusion, and raising awareness against violence and discrimination.

Among the awardees was Ariel Gelblung of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Latin America. “These are times of heightened antisemitism in the world . There is violence that ranges from universities in the United States, the streets of Venezuela, a cemetery in Managua, to some Uruguayan carnival songs. I believe Anne Frank's example of empathy is important in trying to stop this violence against Jews,” the director said in his acceptance speech.

" Intolerance was also used as an example in our Montevideo," Orsi repeated in his turn. "Messages of hate reach us and in reality, I must recognize that a fundamental tool that is sacred to us, which we take great care of and which are our parties, requires a lot of attention and requires a lot of our militancy. I feel very proud and I also know from those who accompany me - Lacalle Pou and Sanguinetti - that we understand that these tools that were built are the oldest parties in history , those that are here, perhaps together with the British," stressed the President of Uruguay.

Orsi recognized Uruguay's gestures and the interrelationship between current presidents and their predecessors as a milestone worth highlighting. He also recalled symbols.

"Not long ago, after being elected, President Lacalle invited me, even though I was not yet sworn in, to the Mercosur meeting. You will remember when President (Tabaré) Vázquez was accompanied by the then-president-elect, Luis Lacalle, to the inauguration of the Argentine president. Or when President Lacalle invited Sanguinetti and (José) Mujica to the inauguration of President Lula (in Brazil). Or a very strong signal for all of us that taught us a lot also through the gestures, when President José María Sanguinetti, together with President Mujica, together resolved that mischievous act of withdrawing from the Senate on the same day . Or when the Colorado Party, celebrating 40 years of democracy, invited us all, we felt proud. And by chance or by chance, it was President Mujica's last public activity . They are all gestures," he remarked.

And he concluded: "Our citizens need these gestures . We understand that this is recognition not of being an exception but of a Uruguayan people who have known how to build on the positive accumulation that we have collected throughout history. And in this republican key we clearly understand - I understand it and those who accompany me here do too - that this logic of government and opposition, if applied well, is wonderful: to oppose, to control, to govern . Despite sometimes being the government and sometimes the opposition, we know that the key is our people and coexistence, for that, is the lifeblood that moves us ."

Among others, Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Macri was also honored for his commitment to the Parque de la Memoria (Memory Park), which promotes reflection on the fight for truth and justice in honor of the victims of state terrorism. The mayor took the opportunity to highlight the Uruguayan case "as an example of what should happen routinely in Argentina ." "Thank you for being a beacon of democratic respect ," he expressed to the Uruguayan presidents present at the theater.