Montevideo, Uruguay – In a historic moment for Uruguayan democracy, Fiorella Buzeta, a lawmaker from the ruling Frente Amplio party, took her seat in the National Assembly, marking a significant step towards inclusivity. Buzeta, who uses a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury, described her presence in parliament as a "landmark event" and an "expansion" of democracy.
Upon her arrival at the National Assembly, Buzeta expressed to the media, "I feel a great responsibility, but also immense relief and pride that the Uruguayan people made this decision. It's a decision made by the people, and we are making history."
To accommodate Buzeta and other members with disabilities, the historic parliament building, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025, underwent renovations. "The accessible bathrooms were already in place. The difficult part was renovating the assembly hall," Buzeta explained. "We carried out the work without dismantling anything, simply separating certain sections that can be reinstalled in the future. And three seats were removed to allow me to enter the assembly hall."
While acknowledging that Uruguay "still has a long way to go" to become a truly inclusive nation, Buzeta emphasized that her presence in parliament sets a "precedent" and represents a "paradigm shift."
"I arrived here through a collective process of accumulation, where my colleagues and citizens decided to seat me in this position. I think it's important to focus on our society and our democracy. It's important to consider that our democracy is expanding today," she stated.
Buzeta highlighted the efforts of the new Yamandu Orsi government to promote diversity, citing the appointments of Pablo Mernoni, a tourism minister with a motor disability, and Edgardo Ortuño, an Afro-Uruguayan environment minister. However, she also acknowledged the challenges she faced in her journey to parliament.
"It was a difficult journey, not only because of my disability but also because I am a woman and young," she said. In her first speech, Buzeta pledged to focus on issues such as disarmament and violence prevention, with a particular emphasis on children and adolescents.
Buzeta, 34, has used a wheelchair since she was 12, when a middle school classmate accidentally fired a gun in the classroom. In her speech, she cited a 2024 report indicating that Uruguay has 35 registered firearms per 100 residents, a significantly higher number than Argentina, Spain, or Chile, which she described as a cause for "great concern."
"I will advocate against firearms as a means of self-defense, and my focus will be on children, adolescents, and women," Buzeta declared.
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