Online intimidation emerges as growing threat to journalists in Uruguay; Bill seeks transparent rules for allocation of official advertising

This update covers developments relating to the freedoms of expression, association and assembly in Uruguay from May to mid-August 2026.

Context

Possible US deportation agreement raises human rights concerns

On 12th August 2026, the National Human Rights Institution and Ombudsperson’s Office (INDDHH) set out minimum human rights safeguards for any arrangement under which Uruguay might receive people deported from the United States. In early August 2026, President Yamandú Orsi confirmed that the two governments had been discussing the issue for several months, although no agreement had been reached at that stage.

The INDDHH affirmed that prospective migrants should undergo individual and confidential interviews conducted by qualified professionals, provide informed consent and explicitly express their intention to seek refuge in Uruguay, and receive an independent assessment of their protection needs. It also said unaccompanied children should not be included in the programme and that the existing criteria of Uruguay's Commission for Refugees (CORE) should govern decisions on refugee status.

The INDDHH further called for safeguards to ensure that transfers could not be considered forced, and said that those admitted should immediately receive documentation allowing them to regularise their situation and guaranteeing their freedom of movement, including the ability to leave Uruguay.

Concerns over military policing prompt changes to armoured vehicle deployment

In June 2026, the government proposed using 12 Army-owned Mamba MK-7 armoured vehicles in police operations in Montevideo, in neighbourhoods affected by high levels of criminal violence. The proposal prompted debate over the role of the armed forces in domestic public security.

On 24th June 2026, the PIT-CNT, the main trade union confederation, rejected the involvement of military personnel in police patrols. It argued that such participation lacked an adequate legal basis and blurred the distinction between the armed forces’ national defence functions and the Police’s responsibility for public security. It proposed that the Army make the armoured vehicles available to the Interior Ministry for use by properly trained police officers, without involving military personnel in patrol operations.

The government subsequently modified the arrangement. It approved an agreement placing up to 12 armoured vehicles of five different models belonging to the Defence Ministry at the disposal of the National Police, with trained police personnel responsible for operating them.

Expression

Death threats target journalist and his family

On 8th May 2026, journalist Juan Pablo Silva, director of the digital outlet “La Tarde es Tuya” in Florida, central Uruguay, reported receiving death threats and harassment through Instagram. The messages came from an Instagram account using Silva’s photograph and the name of his programme. Although they did not cite a specific article, media reports noted that “La Tarde es Tuya” had recently investigated alleged irregularities involving the Florida Department of Government.

The threats, which had continued for several months, escalated on 1st May 2026, when messages through Instagram threatened Silva and his family: “We’re going to make your life miserable until you’re forced to shut down the website. We’ve already got you marked. One of these days, we might cut the brakes on your car or have you beaten up for being a clown. Watch yourself when you’re out on the streets, and look after your family. We’ve got a lot of information about you.”

This incident occurred amid wider concerns about press freedom and the growing use of digital platforms to target journalists in Uruguay. In its May 2026 annual report, the Centre for Archive and Access to Public Information (Centro de Archivo y Acceso a la Información Pública, Cainfo), a civil society organisation working on freedom of expression and access to information, documented 56 threats or restrictions affecting freedom of expression, compared with 51 the previous year, reversing a decline recorded since 2023. It also reported a change in the profile of alleged perpetrators: state actors accounted for 23 of the 56 cases and, for the first time since Cainfo began its monitoring, did not constitute the largest category.

It also documented 17 cases involving online violence or intimidation, including threats, verbal abuse and stigmatising discourse. The organisation warned that online hostility had become an increasingly significant obstacle to journalistic work.

Proposed football broadcast rules could restrict access to information

On 16th June 2026, the INDDHH raised concerns about possible restrictions on access to information in a production manual prepared by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), a private entity governing football in Uruguay, for companies broadcasting national football matches.

According to information reviewed by the INDDHH, the guidelines required broadcasters to focus images, narration and commentary on sporting matters and restricted coverage of violent incidents and political, trade union or labour-related banners, flags and messages displayed during matches.

In Resolution No. 1675/2026, the INDDHH established that, if the AUF retained the provisions as reported, they could indirectly restrict broadcasters’ editorial independence and the public’s right to receive complete and contextualised information about events of public interest. It stressed that peaceful political, labour and other expressions displayed at football matches merit protection where they are lawful and do not promote violence or discrimination. The INDDHH also warned that vague rules, particularly where broadcasters could face contractual or financial consequences for breaching them, could have a chilling effect on journalists and media outlets.

The resolution also found that the National Sports Secretariat (SND), the government body responsible for national sports policy, had failed to meet its legal obligation to cooperate with the INDDHH by failing to respond to a request for information. The INDDHH asked the SND to clarify the relevant regulatory and oversight mechanisms and recommended that the Ministry of Education and Culture assess whether existing supervision of civil associations adequately protects fundamental rights when their activities affect matters of significant public interest.

Official advertising bill aims to strengthen media independence and transparency

On 16th December 2025, the Industry, Energy and Mining Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, began considering a bill to establish a comprehensive framework governing the production, planning, contracting and distribution of official advertising, advertising purchased by public institutions with state funds. The proposal, promoted in the current legislature by Frente Amplio lawmakers, builds on an initiative developed by Cainfo in 2015. That earlier initiative was introduced with cross-party support and approved by the Chamber of Deputies in 2018, before being archived in the Senate.

The bill seeks to establish clear, objective and transparent criteria for the allocation of official advertising, strengthen oversight and public accountability and prevent discriminatory or propagandistic use of public funds that could undermine media freedom. It would require reasoned decisions on advertising expenditure, assign an oversight role to the State Procurement Regulatory Agency (ARCE) and reserve at least 30 per cent of national official advertising for eligible media and journalistic productions based in the interior of the country. Uruguay already regulates certain aspects of official advertising, including a statutory minimum allocation to media in the interior, but lacks the comprehensive framework envisaged by the proposal.

This bill would therefore establish a much broader comprehensive framework, as it already regulates certain aspects of official advertising. For example, article 774 of Law No. 19,924 currently requires at least 20 per cent of national-level official advertising to be directed to qualifying media and journalistic productions in the interior—10 per cent in the case of certain state enterprises operating in competitive markets—and requires covered bodies to report on compliance.

On 17th June 2026, Cainfo representatives Fabián Werner and Sebastián Cáceres told the Commission that they supported the general direction of the proposal but urged lawmakers to extend it to departmental and municipal governments. Cainfo argued that these authorities distribute substantial amounts of official advertising locally under criteria that are often unknown and without adequate public accountability, creating risks of discretionary allocation, indirect censorship, editorial pressure and self-censorship. As an example, Cainfo cited official advertising expenditure by the Soriano departmental government, which it said amounted to approximately US$820,000 between 2021 and 2024, without adequate technical criteria or controls.

Court orders release of dictatorship-era intelligence record

On 6th May 2026, the Third Civil Appeals Court upheld an order requiring the Ministry of the Interior to disclose a 1975 intelligence memorandum concerning the death of communist activist Álvaro Balbi while in state custody during the dictatorship. Memorandum 425 of Department 2 of the Directorate of Information and Intelligence (DNII), forms part of the state security records from that period.

A researcher from Cruzar, a University of the Republic project that systematises and analyses archives relating to state terrorism and serious human rights violations committed during Uruguay’s recent past, had requested the document. After the Ministry rejected access on different grounds, the researcher brought an action under Law No. 18,381 on Access to Public Information, with legal support from Cainfo.

The Appeals Court rejected the Ministry’s claim that it did not possess the memorandum. The Ministry of the Interior had raised that argument only after the legal deadline for responding had expired and “positive administrative silence” had taken effect, a rule under which the law treats an unanswered information request as accepted. The court also noted that the Ministry of the Interior had previously classified the information as reserved for 15 years, which reasonably indicated that it had possessed the requested material. It therefore found that the Ministry had not established the legal exception available when a public authority neither possesses nor has an obligation to possess requested information.

The court ordered the Ministry to provide the information within 72 hours, unless it could legally demonstrate that it had already transferred the document to the Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes against Humanity. On 29th June 2026, the Ministry finally released Memorandum 425.

Association

Mass dismissals raise concerns over anti-union retaliation

On 17th June 2026, printing company Imprenta Casabó dismissed 18 workers, reportedly all union members, following a prolonged workplace dispute. According to PIT-CNT, the country’s main trade union confederation, the company acted shortly after workers rejected a proposed salary reduction. PIT-CNT also alleged that management prevented trade union representatives from entering a meeting concerning the dispute.

Workers and PIT-CNT described the dismissals as arbitrary and retaliatory and noted that several of those affected had worked at the company for decades. They also alleged that management threatened further dismissals. Workers subsequently demonstrated outside the plant and considered additional industrial action.

Imprenta Casabó rejected claims that it had dismissed the workers in retaliation for trade union activity. According to media reports, the company faced difficult operating conditions and said the measures were aimed at preserving the viability and continuity of the business.

Construction union wins shorter working week and wage increases

On 13th August 2026, the general assembly of the Single National Union of Construction and Related Workers (SUNCA) unanimously approved a new five-year collective agreement providing for wage increases and a progressive reduction of the working week from 44 to 40 hours without loss of pay by 2030.

The agreement followed several months of negotiations, union assemblies and industrial action within Uruguay’s tripartite wage-council system. The following day, SUNCA, construction-sector employers, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security formally signed the agreement.

The agreement also includes conflict-prevention clauses and other employment protections. SUNCA president Richard Ferreira described it as an advance for trade union organisation, while stressing that employers would need to comply fully with the agreed terms.

Peaceful Assembly

Environmental project prompts protest over community participation

On 5th August 2026, residents and rural producers from Casupá, Florida Department, protested outside the Torre Ejecutiva, the seat of the executive branch in Montevideo, and delivered a letter to President Yamandú Orsi. Protesters affirmed that Orsi had twice publicly committed to meeting them, but that the meeting had not taken place.

They urged authorities to suspend any definitive decision and raised concerns about the project’s potential effects on agricultural land, rural livelihoods, native forest, cultural heritage and local communities. They also asked authorities to consider alternatives, including reducing water losses and improving efficiency in the existing supply system.

The demonstration followed several months of community organising and attempts to engage public institutions. Residents had presented their concerns to legislators and supported legal and political efforts seeking greater environmental scrutiny of the project. They argued that authorities had not yet provided those most directly affected with an adequate opportunity to present their concerns before decisions were taken.

Environment Minister Edgardo Ortuño defended the reservoir as serving the general interest and stressed that it remained subject to environmental authorisation. He also said the government would compensate affected landowners and implement mitigation and community measures alongside the project.

Teledoce workers strike over dismissals and end of collective agreement

On 27th July 2026, workers at Canal 12/Teledoce, a main private television broadcaster, began industrial action after the company started dismissing around 25 employees as part of a restructuring process. The Association of Teledoce Employees (ADET), the union representing workers at the broadcaster, called assemblies and work stoppages and declared a formal labour dispute. ADET said management had failed to adequately inform the union in advance about the scale of the restructuring.

The dispute escalated when Sociedad Televisora Larrañaga, the company that operates Teledoce, formally notified ADET that it intended to terminate the collective agreement in force since 2005. The agreement, which sets negotiated employment rights and working conditions, is due to expire in December 2026. ADET warned that ending it could remove protections negotiated over more than two decades.

Workers continued several days of stoppages while seeking negotiations on the company’s financial situation, the dismissals and the possible reinstatement of affected employees. Teledoce said it was carrying out a restructuring process and maintained that its decision to terminate the collective agreement followed the procedure set out in the agreement itself.

PIT-CNT stages partial general strike demanding labour and social reforms

On 10th June 2026, PIT-CNT held a partial general strike and mobilisation in Montevideo’s Cerro neighbourhood under the slogan “For a Uruguay of profound transformations, for social justice, work and wages”. The stoppage ran from 9am to 1pm, although several unions extended industrial action beyond those hours.

The mobilisation focused on concerns over possible spending cuts in the forthcoming Rendición de Cuentas, the annual budget accountability and adjustment process through which the government reports on public spending and can propose changes to expenditure. Unions also demanded a shorter working week without loss of pay, implementation of commitments reached through the national social dialogue and greater investment in public services. PIT-CNT leaders renewed calls for progressive tax reform, including higher taxation of the wealthiest one per cent, and changes to the social security system.

The strike affected several areas of the public sector. Teachers and secondary-school staff observed a 24-hour stoppage, while public health workers stopped work for 12 hours, with emergency and other essential services maintained. Public registry workers, prison staff and employees in several government ministries also joined the action to varying degrees.

Freight operators stage nationwide stoppage over new transport system

On 8th June 2026, around 700 small, self-organised freight transport companies staged a nationwide stoppage and mobilisation over the planned implementation of the Electronic Cargo Guide (GEC) and rising fuel costs. Organisers advised operators to temporarily avoid transporting live animals and grain due to potential delays, while prioritising essential cargo.

The mobilisation also led to isolated confrontations involving drivers. On 9th June, two drivers became involved in a physical altercation near Minas, the capital of Lavalleja Department in southern Uruguay, after one attempted to travel along a road that vehicles participating in the protest had obstructed. Police officers and other participants intervened to stop the confrontation.

The Single Union of Freight Transport and Related Branches (SUTCRA), representing workers in the freight transport sector, condemned attacks on drivers that it attributed to self-organised transport operators. The union said violence and obstruction of workers were not legitimate forms of protest.

The Intergremial de Transporte Profesional de Carga (ITPC), an organisation representing professional freight transport operators, reached an agreement with the Ministry of Transport and Public Works to keep the GEC in a testing and adjustment phase and continue negotiations over its technical, operational and labour implications.

Private healthcare workers strike over working conditions

On 27th May 2026, the Health Federation (FUS), which represents private healthcare workers, called a seven-hour strike in Montevideo. Workers rallied at the Obelisk, a prominent city landmark, before marching to the Ministry of Public Health (MSP). FUS demanded progress in talks with the government through a commission addressing working conditions and called for stronger measures to protect healthcare workers’ health and safety.

FUS secretary general Marcos Franco said deteriorating working conditions had prompted the mobilisation. According to the union, private healthcare workers recorded around 500,000 medical certifications in 2024 and 2025, representing 47 per cent of all workplace certifications, with mental health and musculoskeletal conditions accounting for a significant share.

During the strike, the union maintained essential services through minimum staffing arrangements. The mobilisation centred on working conditions, occupational health and collective bargaining in Uruguay’s private healthcare sector.

Separately, public health workers raised security concerns at Hospital del Cerro in Montevideo after someone left a written threat referring to drug trafficking inside the hospital. The Federation of Public Health Workers, which represents employees in the state health system, requested additional police protection for staff and outreach teams working in the area. Officials from the Interior Ministry and the public healthcare provider subsequently visited the hospital to assess the situation.

Thousands join 30th March of Silence demanding truth over disappeared detainees

On 20th May 2026, Mothers and Relatives of Detained-Disappeared Uruguayans held the 30th March of Silence in Montevideo, under the slogan “30 years marching. Against impunity yesterday and today. We demand answers. Where are they?” The annual mobilisation, one of Uruguay’s most prominent peaceful demonstrations, was accompanied by parallel actions in several cities outside the capital.

Thousands marched peacefully along Avenida 18 de Julio, Montevideo’s main central avenue, demanding truth, justice and accountability for people forcibly disappeared during the 1973-1985 dictatorship and the wider period of state repression.

Public authorities took measures to facilitate the demonstration. The Montevideo departmental government coordinated traffic diversions to protect participants and allow the march to proceed, while IMPO, Uruguay’s National Directorate of Official Printing and Publications, displayed photographs of disappeared people on public screens as part of remembrance activities.

International Workers’ Day mobilisation

On 1st May 2026, the main trade union confederation, PIT-CNT, organised the International Workers’ Day mobilisation on Avenida del Libertador in Montevideo under the slogan “For work, wages and social justice. Uruguay is its people”. The gathering brought together trade unions and social organisations.

PIT-CNT representatives called for a more progressive tax system, including higher contributions from the wealthiest one per cent to finance measures addressing child poverty. They also urged the government to reduce working hours, strengthen public industry and review aspects of the pension system.

Speakers raised concerns about outsourcing, delayed wages and alleged anti-union practices, including cases affecting outsourced workers at the Ministry of Social Development and workers in the fishing sector. Union representatives warned that austerity measures or setbacks to labour rights could trigger further mobilisation.

Other Developments

Decree strengthens institutional framework for addressing dictatorship-era human rights violations

On 9th July 2026, the government adopted Decree No. 154/026, integrating the Secretariat for Human Rights for the Recent Past, the body focused on violations linked to the period of state repression and dictatorship, into the broader Secretariat for Human Rights within the Presidency. The reform aims to consolidate state efforts to address past human rights violations under a single institutional structure.

Under the new framework, the Secretariat for Human Rights must continue and complete the digitisation and indexing of records concerning enforced disappearances and other human rights violations committed between 1968 and 1985, before transferring the material to the INDDHH. The Secretariat must also coordinate with the INDDHH, courts, Public Prosecutor’s Office and other state institutions to support Uruguay’s compliance with its international human rights obligations.

The decree also gives the Secretariat responsibility for promoting the rights to identity and truth, including efforts to establish the identity of people born in captivity or separated from their biological families in the context of past state repression. It must also monitor access to information needed for judicial, extrajudicial and administrative investigations and promote initiatives concerning memory, truth and serious human rights violations.

New law strengthens access to decent work for groups facing structural discrimination

On 26th June 2026, the Congress passed Law No. 20,506 on the Promotion of Decent Work for People Facing Greater Barriers to the Labour Market, establishing a new employment framework for people and groups facing structural barriers to employment and discrimination in the labour market. The law was published on 17th July 2026.

The law covers young people, women heading single-parent households, people over 45, Afro-descendants, persons with disabilities, trans people, carers of children with disabilities, and people deprived of liberty or recently released, among other groups. It explicitly grounds the framework in fundamental rights, decent work, non-discrimination, social protection, social dialogue and participation. The law also requires employers to comply with labour legislation and collective agreements and guarantees workers’ registration with the social security system and access to corresponding benefits and protections.