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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, July 21st 2026 - 16:22 UTC

Tag: security

  • Friday, July 3rd 2026 - 08:55 UTC

    In Uruguay, Kast urges harsher penalties for crime leaders and total prison isolation

    Kast held that security is the main condition for economic development and described organized crime as a “cancer” affecting all of Latin America

    Chile's President José Antonio Kast argued on Wednesday in Montevideo that the region's countries must toughen their laws to combat organized crime, with life sentences for those who lead gangs and a regime of total isolation in prisons to stop them from continuing to operate from behind bars. The president laid out his position after meeting with Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi, as part of an official visit to Uruguay.

  • Thursday, July 2nd 2026 - 09:11 UTC

    Uruguay and Chile agree to coordinate against organized crime after an Orsi-Kast summit

    Kast said that both countries' security “has been undermined by transnational organized crime”

    The presidents of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, and Chile, José Antonio Kast, agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation against transnational organized crime, following a meeting held on Wednesday at the Suárez y Reyes presidential residence in Montevideo. In a joint statement, the leaders announced understandings on security, fisheries, Antarctica, the bi-oceanic corridor and economic integration, as part of Kast's official visit to Uruguay.

  • Wednesday, July 1st 2026 - 08:28 UTC

    Mercosur leaders push for a regional security architecture against organized crime

    The security debate unfolded alongside the trade tensions that dominated the summit

    The fight against transnational organized crime emerged as one of the central themes of Mercosur's 68th summit of heads of state, held on Tuesday in the Paraguayan city of Luque, where several leaders called for building a regional security “architecture” with concrete goals and deadlines. The issue ran through the addresses of the bloc's presidents and those of its associated states, at a summit where Paraguay handed over the pro tempore presidency to Uruguay.

  • Wednesday, June 24th 2026 - 09:54 UTC

    Uruguay to deploy army armored vehicles to patrol high-crime Montevideo neighborhoods

    The initiative drew controversy and reopened the discussion about the role of the Armed Forces in internal security

    Uruguay's government announced that twelve Mamba MK-7 armored vehicles from the National Army will begin to patrol, under police command, the Montevideo neighborhoods with the highest crime rates, a measure to reinforce the fight against organized crime that has opened debate in the political system. Interior Minister Carlos Negro confirmed that his ministry is working on a “very advanced” agreement with the Defense Ministry to carry out the deployment in the coming days.

  • Wednesday, March 11th 2026 - 22:33 UTC

    Uruguayans see security as top national concern, cost of living as main personal problem

    The divergence is emerging at a time when Uruguay’s annual inflation rate stands at 3.11%, its lowest level in decades. Photo: Sebastian Astorga

    Uruguayans continue to identify security and crime as the country’s main problem, but when the question shifts to everyday life, the dominant concern becomes the cost of living, according to a new survey by University of the Republic academics analysed in a report by El Observador. The poll also found that about one-third of respondents believe such problems stem from “longer inheritances” or broader trends that no government has managed to solve.

  • Saturday, April 8th 2023 - 10:17 UTC

    Chilean Gov't to create a Security Ministry?

    The key thing is to legislate well, Mirosevic explained

    Chile's Interior Minister Carolina Tohá held a meeting Friday with the Speakers of both Houses of Congress to discuss concrete measures in the aftermath of the slain of three police officers. Senate Speaker Juan Antonio Coloma spoke of “a powerful effort by all” ahead as agreements between the Executive and the Legislature are to be reached. In addition to Lower House Speaker Vlado Mirosevic, the meeting was also attended by Justice Minister Luis Cordero.

  • Monday, June 6th 2022 - 10:29 UTC

    Lacalle Pou: “it is not true that security has worsened” in Uruguay

    “We should not be obtuse and say that everything is fine, because it is a fallacy that no one would believe,” Lacalle admitted.

    Uruguayan president Luis Lacalle Pou addressed on Sunday public security and replied to criticism from opposition left-wing party Frente Amplio’s (Broad Front).

  • Tuesday, May 17th 2022 - 09:46 UTC

    Security becomes a concern for Chile's gov't

    The Defense Minister's home was not properly defended

    Chile's Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Giorgio Jackson, Monday admitted the Government was reviewing security measures to be taken in the future following a robbery at the home of Defense Minister Maya Fernández and a shooting against one of President Gabriel Boric Font's bodyguards.

  • Saturday, July 4th 2020 - 07:15 UTC

    UN questions as “vague and overly broad” Hong Kong's national security law

    “We are alarmed that arrests are already being made under the law with immediate effect,” UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said

    The UN human rights office voiced concern on Friday that “vague and overly broad” provisions in the national security law for Hong Kong may lead to arbitrary interpretation and prosecutions of activists in violation of freedoms of assembly and expression.

  • Tuesday, January 7th 2020 - 09:42 UTC

    Argentina boosts security as US/Iran conflict escalates

    “Because of the history of two attacks we had, Argentina must be on alert for this type of conflict worldwide,” Defense Minister Agustin Rossi told a local news site.

    Argentina’s government boosted security at its airports, borders and the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires as tensions simmer between the United States and Iran, the Argentine defense minister told local media on Monday.

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