Nicolás Olivera and the roadmap to renew the National Party
In an interview with El Pais, Nicolás Olivera established himself as a visible voice within the National Party and calls for mature self-criticism after the electoral defeat. He warns that the party must learn to govern and oppose at the same time, and that this coexistence is not always being managed well. He also maintains that many citizens "did not see what they expected in their pockets," and therefore proposes changes to the agenda to regain trust.
For Olivera, the discussion is no longer about finding culprits but rather listening to all stakeholders and developing a plan before the end of the year. He believes the board is working on a roadmap that includes concrete corrections and that the focus should be on policies that reach the people. In his view, the communication doesn't explain everything: there were management and context decisions, such as the pandemic, that affected results.
The National Party, diagnosis and priorities
The mayor points out that the National Party governs 96 municipalities and 14 mayoralties, so it has forces with executive responsibilities and also the obligation to monitor the national government. This duality, he says, demands consistency: when it comes to defending the budget or resources for local government, the position must be the same as the one held during the campaign. The priority, he insists, is for the party's agenda to be solution-oriented, not just airing criticism.
From the Center, profile and agenda
Olivera describes De Centro as an autonomous sector within the bloc, with a Wilsonian sensibility and a more decentralizing approach. Its focus is on proactive proposals—housing, healthcare, employment, and security—rather than a reactive opposition. For him, many internal tensions can be resolved if the party returns to putting citizens' everyday problems at the center.
The Congress of Mayors, practical agreements and governance
The mayor values that the Congress of Mayors tends to find concrete solutions beyond partisan differences because they address common problems. He mentions examples of municipal management that inspired technical exchanges between different administrations, such as home collection or projects against addiction. This spirit, he maintains, led to the presentation of a consensus proposal on the revenue law to the mayoralties.
Budget, tensions and points of consensus
Regarding the budget, Olivera affirms that the mayors' position is clear and he hopes the parliamentary group will support it. He rejects measures such as the excessive cap on direct purchases—which substantially reduces a threshold—and also warns about the allocation to the Udelar (University of La Plata) in the interior of the country. He clarifies, however, that the National Party is not seeking to halt the national budget: the decision is to not leave the country without resources.
Governance, political tone and limits of the opposition
Olivera defends political control and oversight but calls for avoiding headline-grabbing proposals. He criticizes instances where debate ends in incidents rather than in the examination of public policies. For him, being an opposition means being demanding and responsible; not becoming an exact copy of what they criticized during their years in office.
Internal projection and future visions
Regarding his personal projections, Olivera denies that he will be a presidential candidate in 2029 and confirms that the party already has a candidate: Luis Lacalle Pou. He adds, however, that if the party returns to the presidency, it should incorporate other visions, "more Wilsonian" and with a greater emphasis on social justice, to avoid repeating mistakes and broaden the electoral base.
Conclusion: Nicolás Olivera's public proposal combines self-criticism and an emphasis on the programmatic. His calls emphasize professionalizing municipal management, prioritizing measures that benefit people, and rebuilding relationships with voters through a more social and decentralizing agenda.
