MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pot fumes: Mujica calls UN official, 'liar', after he accused Uruguay of 'pirate attitudes'

The Uruguayan president challenged Yans to stop 'saying lies' and meet him in Uruguay

President Jose Mujica reacted furiously to the accusation of Uruguay as a 'pirate state' from the UN official in charge of drugs' control, who was protesting the legalization of marihuana and because allegedly he was never received by the Uruguayan leader. Mujica bluntly replied, leaving aside all nice talk, “tell that old man to stop lying and stop showing off to the stands”.

 Raymond Yans, head of the International Narcotics Control Board, which depends from the UN and some members are chosen by WHO, was very critical of Uruguay's recent approval of the cannabis legalization bill, and described Uruguay's attitude as that of 'pirates' because it was not complying with international conventions referred to drugs and narcotics trade, to which the country was signatory. He also claimed Uruguay did not receive an INCB delegation.

“Tell that old man to stop lying and stop showing off to the stands. Tell him to come to Uruguay and he can meet me whenever he wishes. Because he holds an international post he believes...anybody can meet and talk to me, and whoever says he couldn't meet me, he is a liar, a brazen liar”, said Mujica in a television interview.

“Because he sits in a comfortable international platform, he believes he can say whatever nonsense”, continued Mujica.

“Tell him to come, because if he does he will have to explain what is going on in a lot of US states, where only with their main city they have more population than Uruguay. Or does he have two different speeches, two different rules: one for Uruguay and another for the strong countries of the world?”, asked Mujica.

“It's a vision of pirates, of a country which does not abandon the convention nor does it respect it”, Yans was quoted. “We hope Uruguayan authorities understand this is a mistake, that it's not the correct path to follow when it comes to issues related to drugs”.

He added that together with Papua Guinea, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, Uruguay is the only other country that has not granted INCB an interview.

In Uruguay former president and oncologist, and currently pre-candidate for next year's presidential election, Tabare Vazquez, supported Mujica and the legalization of cannabis. “This method is far more effective to combat drugs and the narcotics trade that the path of confrontation and violence”.

“Confrontation has only led to dramatic situations such what is going on in Mexico, in the favelas of Brazil or in Colombia”, but the bill approaches the issue from a “strictly public health issue”.

Senator Lucia Topolansky, and First Lady, was also critical of Yans, “who is this fellow who likes to call names to countries? I think he's crossed the line, but anyhow I believe that he has had problems with other countries, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and they will be meeting him sometime in March. But to be honest marihuana is not the heart of life or earthly issues”.