In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Salle and the second or maternal family name is Lorier.

Gustavo Alberto Salle Lorier (born March 19, 1958) is a Uruguayan lawyer and politician serving as National Representative since February 2025. Founder and leader of the Sovereign Identity party, he was a presidential candidate in the 2019 and 2024 general elections.

Graduated from the University of the Republic with a law degree, gained notoriety by filing criminal complaints against members of the Broad Front governments and for his activism against the installation of the UPM-Kymmene cellulose production plants in Uruguay.[1] Salle is widely known for his flamboyant personality, aggressive and anti-establishment rhetoric and embrace of conspiracy theories, including the New World Order, that of the so-called "kleptocorporatocracy" or government of the corporations and that of the Judeo-Masonic secret coalition.[2][3]

Salle Lorier was born in Montevideo on March 19, 1958, the youngest child of Ariel Salle, an administrative employee at a car importing company, and Esther Lorier, a schoolteacher.[4] His brother Carlos Salle was a professor at the Faculty of Dentistry before he died.[5] He was raised in the Sayago neighborhood in a middle-class family and attended public schools. His parents were supporters of the Colorado Party and campaigned for Battlism during the leadership of Luis Batlle Berres.[6]

In 1976 he enrolled at the University of the Republic and graduated with a law degree in 1982.[7] He gained notoriety for taking several legal actions and making outrageous accusations, such as that former president Tabaré Vázquez was a "CIA agent" and a request for the extradition of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for being the "ideologist" of Operation Condor.[8][9][10] He also filed charges against high-ranking politicians, such as Vice President Raúl Fernando Sendic, for "usurpation of a university degree" in 2016, as well as against other government officials during the Broad Front administrations for cases of corruption and mishandling of public funds.[11][12]

Activist and political career

In his youth, Salle supported the Broad Front, however after the party reached the presidency for the first time, he disaffiliated from it and had approaches to the Popular Assembly.[13]

In addition to his legal career, he has been an anti-imperialist and "anti-corporate" activist.[14] Since the announcement of the installation of a second cellulose pulp plant by the Finnish company UPM-Kymmene Oyj in Uruguay, Salle has staunchly opposed it.[15] In May 2019, he chained himself in Plaza Independencia in front of the Executive Tower, alleging that the contract that was signed was "null, criminal, and abusive, in addition to having a genocidal projection because it contaminates the water that we give them and they return contamination to us".[16]

Salle has been characterized by a radical, aggressive and anti-establishment discourse, even insulting some politicians.[17] For several years, during official events in Florida for Independence Day attended by the president of the Republic and government officials, he has appeared with megaphones to protest and to interrupt the speeches.[18][19]

In early 2019, he joined the Green Animalist Party (PVA) and launched his presidential campaign.[20][21] In the June presidential primaries, his candidacy surpassed the electoral threshold of 500 votes, allowing him to participate in the general election.[22] In the general election, he received 19,392 votes, which represented 0.80% of the electorate, and was not elected to any office.[23]

From 2020 to 2022, his media prominence grew due to his activism against health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as his opposition to vaccination, which was not mandatory in Uruguay.[24] He also echoed conspiracy theories about the pandemic, dubbing it 'Plandemia' – a portmanteau of the words 'plan' and 'pandemia' (Spanish for 'Pandemic').[25] In November 2022, he founded the Sovereign Identity party, describing it as neither left-wing nor right-wing, and ran for president for a second time.[26] In the 2024 general election, he received 2.69% of the vote, making him the fourth most-voted candidate, and securing two seats for his party in the Chamber of Representatives.[27][28]

Controversies

Comments on the Jewish community

His embrace of conspiracy theories, including the Judeo-Masonic one, and his comments in support of them, have sparked controversy.[29] In October 2024, after being elected National Representative, he referred to the Department of Maldonado, home to a significant Jewish population, as 'a territory occupied by Zionism and an appendix of the government of Israel.' His statements were met with condemnation from institutions of the Jewish community in Uruguay, one of the most prominent in Latin America.[30]

Another controversy arose when he tweeted that 'it would be necessary to investigate how the Jewish lobby got Cohen into the GACH,' referring to Dr. Henry Cohen, an academic and physician who was part of the government's scientific advisory group (GACH for its acronym in Spanish) during the COVID-19 pandemic.[31] The Central Israelite Committee of Uruguay and the Uruguayan division of B'nai B'rith along with figures such as former president Julio María Sanguinetti, condemned the comment and even called for official action by the Prosecutor's Office.[32][33] Salle has also referred to Freemasonry as a "pawn of Judeo-Zionism" and the "top" of B'nai B'rith, and has been accused of being anti-Semitic.[34]

Personal life

Despite being raised Catholic, he is an atheist.[35]

Electoral history

Presidential

Election Office List Votes Ref.
Total % P.
2019 President of Uruguay Green Animalist Party 19,392 0.80% 9th
2024 Sovereign Identity 65,796 2.69 % 4th [36]

References

  1. ^ Universal, Radio (2019-05-17). "Salle se encadenó en la Plaza Independencia manifestándose en contra de UPM". 970 Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  2. ^ "La cleptocorporatocracia según Salle: "Soy político pero no voy a ser garrapata"". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  3. ^ ""Incentiva actos de odio" y "vende odio": comunidad judía repudió dichos de Gustavo Salle sobre Maldonado y el sionismo". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  4. ^ "La vida de Gustavo Salle, el sentirse "fundador del Frente Amplio" y sus ganas de ejercer un liderazgo político". delsol.uy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  5. ^ "Entrevista Prof. Dr. Carlos Salle Lorier" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  6. ^ "Gustavo Salle, el "antisistema" que llega al Parlamento para ser el "buchón" de los secretos de la "casta política"". Búsqueda (in Spanish). 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  7. ^ "Salle rompió y quemó parte de su título de abogado; ¿cuáles son las consecuencias?". EL PAIS. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  8. ^ "Tabaré Vázquez es un "agente de la CIA" para el penalista Salle". subrayado.com.uy (in Spanish). 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  9. ^ "SALLE PIDE EXTRADICIÓN DE KISSINGER". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  10. ^ "Archivan pedido de extraditar a Kissinger". EL PAIS. 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  11. ^ "Marta Jara declara ante la Justicia por denuncia de Gustavo Salle sobre la regasificadora". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  12. ^ ""Sendic no presentó el título", dijo el abogado denunciante Gustavo Salle". EL PAIS. 2016-09-27. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  13. ^ Israel, Sergio. "Gustavo Salle, el penalista que acusa al fiscal general de crear "una maquinaria de impunidad" y al presidente Vázquez de agente de la CIA". Búsqueda. Archived from the original on 2019-07-14.
  14. ^ "Gustavo Salle: "No soy un antisistema, soy un antipatologías del sistema"". Búsqueda (in Spanish). 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  15. ^ "Entre Hospitale, un ataúd y "guardaespaldas": las horas de Salle encadenado por UPM". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  16. ^ Universal, Radio (2019-05-17). "Salle se encadenó en la Plaza Independencia manifestándose en contra de UPM". 970 Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  17. ^ "Bufón con megáfono". EL PAIS (in Spanish). 2024-10-11. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  18. ^ "Lacalle Pou enfrenta a Salle y le pide que escuche el acto por la Independencia". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  19. ^ "Salle y activistas irrumpieron en acto en Florida al grito "Fuera UPM"". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  20. ^ "Salle anunció su candidatura: "El Frente Amplio es una asociación para delinquir"". LARED21 (in Spanish). 2019-01-20. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  21. ^ "Gustavo Salle y Enrique Viana serán la fórmula presidencial del Partido Verde Animalista". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  22. ^ "Salle se quedó sin su vice y sin Hospitale, que ahora apoya a Manini Ríos". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  23. ^ "La Unidad Popular perdió su banca en Diputados y Gustavo Salle cree que llega". EL PAIS. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  24. ^ "Al grito de "libertad" y "mercenarios", Salle lidera marcha antivacuna tras resolución de la Inddhh". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  25. ^ "Mientras Salle busca liderar el movimiento "antiplandemia", la Policía da "más atención" a posibles agresiones a figuras públicas". Búsqueda (in Spanish). 2021-07-22. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  26. ^ "Cleptocorporatocracia y agenda 2030: así es el nuevo partido de Gustavo Salle, que ya anunció su candidatura". EL PAIS (in Spanish). 2023-05-04. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  27. ^ "Gustavo Salle por partida doble: la hija será la otra diputada de Identidad Soberana". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  28. ^ "¿Quién es Gustavo Salle? El nuevo actor del sistema político que se metió "en la cueva de los vendepatria"". EL PAIS (in Spanish). 2024-10-28. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  29. ^ "Gustavo Salle: Luces y sombras, razón y delirio". www.carasycaretas.com.uy (in European Spanish). 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  30. ^ ""Incentiva actos de odio" y "vende odio": comunidad judía repudió dichos de Gustavo Salle sobre Maldonado y el sionismo". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  31. ^ "Comité Central Israelita del Uruguay defendió a Cohen tras acusaciones de Gustavo Salle". EL PAIS. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  32. ^ "Sanguinetti pidió a Fiscalía que "actuara de oficio" ante tuit de Gustavo Salle sobre Henry Cohen". El Observador (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  33. ^ "Un comentario de Gustavo Salle contra Henry Cohen generó reacciones de repudio". Teledoce.com (in Spanish). 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  34. ^ "Salle llamó a masones "peones" de B'nai B'rith, y su director criticó "acusaciones vacías"". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  35. ^ "Gustavo Salle, el penalista que acusa al fiscal general de crear "una maquinaria de impunidad" y al presidente Vázquez de agente de la CIA". Búsqueda (in Spanish). 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  36. ^ Canelones, Hoy. "Con Gustavo Salle, que obtuvo el 2,69% de los votos y que asegura que su voto en el balotaje será anulado". HOY CANELONES (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-01.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Salle
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