Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou started 2021 in the water, taking advantage of a powerful southerly swell that has been hitting the coast of that country since yesterday. A photo taken by local photographer Lea Borba quickly went viral on social media.

The choice of the president, who is spending a few days in La Paloma, was the traditional leftist of Los Botes.

"Five waves, two sticks and three pretty good little waves to get back in the water after months," the president told DUKE.

Asked if he received any comments from other surfers, he said: "There's always something to talk about in the water. Just surfing!"

As the waves will continue to hit Uruguay tomorrow, Lacalle Pou said he will go into the water: "Sure! If there's still swell!" he exclaimed.

Related: 2021 started furiously in Uruguay

Meanwhile, the photographer, Borba, told DUKE that he was taking pictures there because “there were high waves” and that “just then (Lacalle Pou) arrived, he approached and we chatted for a while since I have a relationship because he always passes by the surf shop where I work, Peteco. We talked a little about the sea, the wave and he went in,” said the photographer.

According to Borba, the president "fought hand-to-hand combat like a normal surfer (…) In the sea he is just another surfer."

“Obviously, having your president doing the sport that we like, that we practice, and being able to have him in your sights was an emotion, an expectation (laughs). The nice thing is that I think that only in Uruguay can we experience something like this and one feels proud to be able to interact like this with a leader,” the photographer concluded.

 

 

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A post shared by Leandro Borba (@lea.borba)