MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay’s outgoing President blocks invitations to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba for Orsi’s inauguration

The Frente Amplio argues that Uruguay should invite all countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, regardless of the nature of their governments.

Uruguay’s outgoing President Luis Lacalle Pou has refused to sign invitations for representatives from Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba to attend the inauguration of President-elect Yamandú Orsi on March 1. This decision, which follows Lacalle Pou’s longstanding stance against what he calls “dictatorial governments,” highlights a political divide between Uruguay’s current administration and the incoming leftist government.

According to sources from the Uruguayan presidency quoted by El País, the Orsi administration had submitted a list of invitations that included these three countries, based on the principle that Uruguay should invite all states with which it maintains diplomatic relations, regardless of their political systems. However, Lacalle Pou declined to authorize the invitations, effectively excluding representatives from the governments of Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua), and Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba).

The decision aligns with Lacalle Pou’s vocal criticism of these regimes throughout his presidency. In international forums, he repeatedly denounced their human rights records, including a notable confrontation with Maduro and Díaz-Canel during a 2021 CELAC summit. His government has also supported Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, whom Uruguay recognizes as the legitimate winner of Venezuela’s disputed 2024 presidential election.

Although Lacalle Pou has not publicly commented on his refusal to sign the invitations, his administration’s stance on Venezuela has been clear. In early January, he met with González Urrutia in Montevideo, reaffirming Uruguay’s support for Venezuela’s opposition and its call for democratic change.

Within Orsi’s incoming administration, opinions on Venezuela remain divided. Some members, including future Minister of Labor Juan Castillo, have expressed positions more aligned with the Maduro government, while others, such as Senator Mario Bergara, have voiced criticism of authoritarian practices in the region.