Freedom in the World 2018 - Uruguay

Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 98 (0 = Least Free, 100 = Most Free)
Freedom Rating: 1.0 (1 = Most Free, 7 = Least Free)
Political Rights: 1 (1 = Most Free, 7 = Least Free)
Civil Liberties: 1 (1 = Most Free, 7 = Least Free)

Quick Facts

Population: 3,500,000
Capital: Montevideo
GDP/capita: $15,525
Press Freedom Status: Free

OVERVIEW

Uruguay has a historically strong democratic governance structure and a positive record of upholding political rights and civil liberties while also working toward social inclusion. Although all citizens enjoy legal equality, there are still disparities in treatment and political representation for women, Uruguayans of African descent, and the indigenous population.

Key developments in 2017:

• Vice President, Raúl Sendic resigned amid corruption allegations, and was replaced by Lucia Topolansky, who became the first woman to serve as Uruguay's vice president.

• IN an effort to combat gender-based violence, the Parliament in September voted to make femicide a special circumstance that can increase sentences, and authorities have begun confiscating guns from policemen who have been convicted of domestic violence.

POLITICAL RIGHTS: 40 / 40

A. ELECTORAL PROCESS: 12 / 12

The president is directly elected to a five-year term, and may hold nonconsecutive terms. The most recent general elections were held in 2014. The Tabaré Vázquez-Raúl Sendic ticket of the Frente Amplio captured the presidency after a run-off. The elections took place peacefully and the stakeholders accepted their results.

Sendic resigned as vice president in September 2017 amid a probe into his alleged misuse of a corporate credit card while head of a state-run oil company. Lucia Topolansky, a senator, assumed the vice presidency under constitutional procedures, and became the first woman to hold the post.

The bicameral General Assembly consists of the 99-member Chamber of Representatives and the 30-member Senate, with all members directly elected for five-year terms. In the 2014 elections, the Frente Amplio retained a majority in the parliament, winning 50 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 15 seats in the Senate. The elections took place peacefully, and stakeholders accepted their results.

Uruguay's Electoral Court serves as the highest authority on elections, and supervises the National Electoral Office, which oversees voter registration. Electoral laws are generally fair and well implemented.

B. POLITICAL PLURALISM AND PARTICIPATION: 16 / 16

Uruguay's multiparty system is open and competitive. The major political parties are the Colorado Party, the National Party (also known as Blanco), the Independent Party, and the Frente Amplio coalition, which is currently in power.

Opposition parties are regularly competitive in the national elections.

People's political choices are generally free from undue influence from undemocratic actors.

The small Afro-Uruguayan minority, comprising approximately 8 percent of the population, is significantly underrepresented in government. Indigenous peoples have no representation at the national level. Representation of women in national, regional, and local government is also low, though women hold about 20 percent of seats in the legislature and a number of mayorships. A gender quota system was implemented for the first time in the most recent national elections to increase the participation of women as candidates.

In October, Michelle Suárez of Frente Amplio became the first transgender senator in Uruguayan history upon replacing Senator Marcos Carámbula, who had stepped down. Her tenure was short, however, as she resigned over forgery allegations in December.

C. FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT: 12 / 12

The head of government and national legislature determine the policies of the government without undue interference.

The level of corruption in Uruguay is relatively low by regional standards. While former vice president Sendic faces corruption allegations, the investigation into the matter is ongoing and reflects a commitment by the government to its anticorruption platform.

Government institutions have established a robust record of accountability to the electorate. Enforcement of the Transparency Law, which prohibits a range of offenses related to abuse of office, is relatively strong at the national level.

CIVIL LIBERTIES: 58 / 60

D. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND BELIEF: 16 / 16

Constitutional guarantees regarding free expression are generally respected. The press is privately owned; the broadcast sector includes both commercial and public outlets. There are numerous daily and weekly newspapers, some of which are connected to political parties. Despite the relatively open media environment, there have been reports of intimidation against journalists who report critically on the president.

Freedom of religion is legally protected and broadly respected.

Academic freedom is upheld.

Private discussion is generally open and robust. However, the government operates an electronic surveillance system, and the circumstances under which it may be deployed are opaque.

E. ASSOCIATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTS: 12 / 12

Freedom of assembly is protected by law, and the government generally respects this right in practice. Protests are frequent.

A wide array of community organizations and national and international human rights groups are active in civic life, and do not face government interference.

Workers are free to exercise the right to join unions, bargain collectively, and hold strikes. Unions are well organized and politically powerful.

F. RULE OF LAW: 15 / 16

Uruguay's judiciary is generally independent.

The courts in Uruguay remain severely backlogged. However, new criminal procedures have reduced pretrial detention.

Efforts to seek justice for human rights violations committed under the military regime that ended in 1985 have been slow and inconsistent. Civil society groups petitioned before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) in September 2017 in protest against further delays in trials. A bill in October was approved to create a special prosecutor's office to investigate unresolved cases.

Prisons are over capacity, and conditions in many facilities are inadequate.

Transgender people have historically been discriminated against in Uruguay. However, in 2017 the government was considering legislation that would allow transgender people to change their names and gender on official documents without a judge's approval; provide scholarships to transgender people so that they may more easily receive schooling; and give transgender people born before 1975 a monthly pension in an effort to make up for hardships endured both during the country's dictatorship and afterward.

The Afro-Uruguayan minority continues to face economic and social inequalities. A 2013 affirmative action law included incentives to increase their graduation rates, and an 8 percent quota in government employment. The law has seen some success in raising the enrollment rate of Afro-Paraguayans, but other mandates have not been fully implemented. The government has initiated additional programs aimed at seeing it realized.

G. PERSONAL AUTONOMY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS: 15 / 16

Freedom of movement is protected, and individuals are generally free to choose their residence, employment, and institution of higher education without interference.

The right to own property and establish private business is respected.

Women enjoy equal rights under the law but face discriminatory traditional attitudes and practices, including a persistent wage gap. Violence against women remains a serious concern, but the country is combatting gender-based violence; the Parliament in September 2017 voted to make femicide a special circumstance that can increase sentences, and has begun confiscating guns from policemen who have been convicted of domestic violence.

The parliament voted overwhelmingly to legalize same-sex marriage in 2013. Abortion for any reason during the first trimester has been legal since 2012. However, a case in February 2017 where an abortion was halted because of a male ex-partner's objections threatens the practical application of the country's abortion law.

Individuals generally enjoy equality of opportunity. However, according to reports, the government is not doing enough to combat transnational trafficking, and laws do not prohibit internal trafficking. Forced labor can be found in a number of industries including agriculture, fishing, lumber processing, and in domestic services. The government does not provide adequate assistance for victims.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year