JORGE LUIS BATLLE IBANEZ

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06746840
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-01335
• Publication Date: August 24, 2004

Approved for Release: 20118305/21 C06746840
This profile does not reflect developments since 24 August 2004.
"F6-44,ss
Jorge Luis BATLLE Ibanez
(Phonetic: BAH-zhay)
President (since 2000)
Addressed as: Mr. President
-(b)(3)
Lawyer and lifelong Colorado Party (PC)
politician Jorge Batlle has struggled to improve
Uruguay's troubled economy and to carve out a role
for his small country in international affairs during
his term, which ends in March 2005. (He is
constitutionally barred from serving two consecutive
terms.) Batlle's approval rating is below 10 percent,
largely because of the country's worst economic
performance in a century. Public opinion polls MO )
indicate that most Uruguayans have lost confider(?)(3)
in his ability to manage the economy
despite his difficulties, Batlle rerriiric
committed to implementing his market-friendly MO )
policies. He has sought closer relations with the(b)(3)
United States to reduce Uruguay's vulnerability to
economic gyrations in neighboring Argentina and
Brazil, gain greater market access for Uruguayan
products, and boost his own political prestige.
Batlle has publicly acknowledged the US role in
"rescuing" Uruguay by providing a bridge loan and
support in international financial institutions for
emergency financing in 2002
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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Under the Gun at Home
Despite Batlle's desire for a larger international
role and his willingness to tackle the economy's
inefficiencies, entrenched political resistance to
reforming Uruguay's popular social welfare system
has stymied his efforts. After some early successes
in pushing legislation through Congress, Batlle's
efforts to privatize key state-owned enterprises have
stalled in the face of opposition from across the
political spectrum. (b)(3)
URUGUAY
Proud of Role as "Cowboy Number Two"
(b)(3)
Batlle strongly supports the US antiterrorist
position. He effusively praised President Bush's
2001 speech to the UN General Assembly session
on counterterrorism and dubbed himself
"Cowboy Number Two" to President Bush's
"Cowboy Number One" to demonstrate his
support. Bailie has increased his country's
manpower contributions to international
peacekeeping operations with the stated aim of
freeing US soldiers from non-terrorism-related
duties; in fact, Uruguay is the largest contributor
of all the Americas to UN security operations.
(b)(3)
His failure to consult with his former
coalition partner. the National Party, contributed to
the party's(b)(1).awal of its ministers from the
cabinet in (b)(3))2 (b)(3)
(b)(1)
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(continued)
LP 04-104916
24 August 2004
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Batik was the first Latin American leader to call
for the legalization of illicit drugs. The President
claims that legalization would lower drug prices and
damage the livelihood of narcotraffickers. In
addition, he has openly chastised the US State
Department for suggesting that money launderer
exploit Uruguay's banking system. He asserts d(b)(1)
b
Washington should focus on its own problems, ()(3)
alleging that the United States has the world's
largest money-laundering system because of high
US drug consumption. (b)(3)
Hedging His Bets on Mercosur
Batlle often expresses frustration with the slow
pace of regional economic integration. He pushes
his Mercosur counterparts to implement more
"harmonious" macroeconomic policies that would
bolster the bloc's ability to negotiate with the United
States, Europe, and other regional trade coalitions.
He has been wary of Brazil's foot-dragging on
negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas
agreement. Batlle also has complained
that Brazil is politicizing Mercosur and
attempting to control polirvninking for all of South
America. (b)(1)
(b)(3)
Career and Personal Data
(b)(3)
Batlle was born on 25 October 1927 in
Montevideo. Several of his ancestors were
presidents of Uruguay, including his late father,
President (1947-51) Luis Batlle Berres. Batlle holds
a law degree from the University of the Republic of
Uruguay. He began his political career in 1945,
when he joined List 15�a minority faction of the
PC. From 1958 to 1967 he served in the Chamber of
Deputies. Batlle ran unsuccessfully for the
presidency in 1966, 1971, 1989, and 1994. During
Uruguay's military dictatorship (1973-85), he was a
representative of the PC in the Triumvirate, a
clandestine party. After the restoration of civilian
rule, he served as a senator from 1985 to 1989.
Battle was president of the PC from 1990 until (b)(1)
when he was reelected senator, a bost he held ul(b)(3)
his 1999 presidential win (b)(3)
Baffle is married to his second wife, Maria de las
Mercedes Menafra; he has a daughter and a son from
his first marriage and three grandchildren
he enjoys reading,
walking, and spending time in the countryside.
Batlle has a passion for classic cars and is an avid
fan of rowing and Nacional�one of the top soccer
teams in Uruguay. The President, who is an
agnostic, has received the Jerusalem prize from the
World Zionist Organization for his religious
tolerance. In addition to his native Spanish, he
speaks English, German, French, and Portuguese
fluently. (b)(3)
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