The Consensus in the Inaugural Addresses of Tabaré Vázquez and José Mujica

Abstract

In their inaugural speeches, the Uruguayan presidents make an initial statement of intent, briefly outlining the new government’s guidelines and suggesting the level of collaboration they expect from the opposition. Through CDA we can identify the differences between both presidents in managing the frame of consensus. These differences are related to the forms of government they practice: Vázquez’s majoritarian and Mujica’s pluralist. This article compares both speeches to demonstrate the influence that power structures have on the discourse of political leaders in managing the frame of consensus.