Uruguay: Neo-Nazi groups, including government efforts to combat their activities and whether some police or military officials are members of these groups (1998 to May 2001)

Anti-Semitism Worldwide 1999/2000 reported that Uruguay witnessed an increase in neo-Nazi activity in 1999 with over 20 incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti in Montevideo and elsewhere in Uruguay (Steven Roth Institute Sept. 2000).

Country Reports 2000 reports the following on the presence of neo-Nazi groups and government actions against them in Uruguay:

Isolated neo-Nazi elements have carried out occasional, limited attacks and activities since 1997. Law enforcement authorities have responded vigorously to such activities. In August 1999, an intensive police investigation resulted in the arrest of eight members of a very small neo-Nazi group suspected of creating racist and anti-Semitic Internet websites. The authorities charged five of the suspects with subversive association; two also were charged with inciting hate or violence towards a particular group. Pending the court's final decision in the case, the defendants were released after serving approximately 3 months of imprisonment, the minimum statutory penalty for first offenders in cases of this nature. In September the police arrested and charged with inciting racial hatred the leader of another small neo-Nazi group believed responsible for pro-Nazi propagandizing (2001).

Several sources reported on neo-Nazi activities and government efforts to combat them in Uruguay.

In April 1998, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the Uruguayan government was investigating a number of neo-Nazi incidents in Montevideo (28 Apr. 1998). The report related incidents in which Molotov cocktails had destroyed a store owned by Jews and a Holocaust memorial had been burned in 1997 (ibid.). At the end of 1998, police captured a person describing himself as a "neo-Nazi" who was responsible for several bombings in Montevideo (IPS 23 Feb. 1999).

Saul Gilvich of the Israelite Central Committee of Uruguay blamed the surge of neo-Nazi violence in Uruguay to a similar increase in activity in neighbouring Argentina (Jewish Telegraphic Agency 28 Apr. 1998). Similarly, the Simon Wiesenthal International Center, an organization that monitors Nazi activity around the world, reported in February 1999 that "the public presence of ultra-right, racist and xenophobic organizations" had increased in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile (IPS 23 Feb. 1999). Montevideo-based journalists had also investigated the existence of "extreme right-wing groups" and discovered that, while their membership was small, their activities often turned to violence (ibid.).

IPS reported in February 1999 that one such group was the National Revolutionary Front of Uruguay that had links with the "ultra right-wing nationalist" group from Argentina called the New Patriotic Social Order Party (PNOSP) and that worked towards "'re-establishing the power'" of the Uruguayan army (ibid.).

Another group was Orgullo Skinhead (Skinhead Pride), which had six of its members arrested by Uruguayan police in August 1999 (IPS 13 Aug. 1999). The group had used the Internet as a tool to communicate with other neo-Nazis groups in other Southern Cone countries (ibid.). While three of six members were released, three were charged with "criminal association and inciting hatred" and faced prison sentences (ibid.). According to Uruguayan intelligence authorities, they were also monitoring the activities of three other small neo-Nazi groups, whose membership ranged from 10 to 12 people and whose recruitment drives targeted primarily young people (ibid.). Like the National Revolutionary Front of Uruguay, Orgullo Skinhead had links with "xenophobic and racist" groups in Argentina, Chile and Europe (ibid.). Orgullo Skinhead was dismantled by the authorities following the arrest of its leader, known as Sebastian, on 13 August 1999 (EFE 14 Aug. 1999). The arrests of three Orgullo Skinhead members, also on 13 August 1999 and mentioned above, were the first such arrests for hate crimes in Uruguay; the Penal Code establishes punishment of three to 18 months sentences (ibid.). In late August 1999, Uruguayan Judge Ana Lima issued arrest warrants for other members of Orgullo Pride based on their Internet activity and possible involvement in the desecration of Jewish graves, the throwing of Molotov cocktails at a synagogue and bombing attacks, including one at a police station (IPS 25 Aug. 1999).

In September 2000, the National Revolutionary Front demanded the release of Orgullo Pride leaders, Alejandro Acle and Sebastian Perez de los Reyes, and naval officers, Gustavo Vargas and Jorge Duran (EFE 14 Sept. 2000). Acle, Perez de los Reyes and Vargas were all arrested and sentenced by Judge Ana Lima for inciting hatred on the Internet, while Duran was arrested for "'disseminating national socialist ideology by way of an e-mail facility in army headquarters'" (ibid.). On 16 September 2000, a former member of the Uruguayan air force and leader of the National Revolutionary Front, Edgardo Cantero, was sentenced on charges for orchestrating an anti-Semitic campaign against Jewish public officials (EFE 16 Sept. 2000). During Cantero's arrest, police seized weapons, Nazi literature and pictures (ibid.). During the week of Cantero's arrest, the National Revolutionary Front issued a press release in which it blamed the Jewish community for the country's economic downturn (ibid.). Clarín and Excélsior reported that the arrest of Cantero had led to the disbanding of the Front (17 Sept. 2000; 17 Sept. 2000). According to Clarín, the group had made death threats towards Jewish legislators, other Jewish personalities, and a penal judge (17 Sept. 2000). Evidence used against Cantero, also known as "El Aguila" (The Eagle) included a video in which he was wearing an SS uniform and demanding the expulsion of the Jews from Uruguay (ibid.).

The Coordination Forum for Countering Antisemitism reported in December 1999 that a member of another neo-Nazi group, Poder Blanco (White Power), had made threatening remarks via the media against the Jewish community if his friends were not released from prison (Dec. 1999). Excélsior reported in September 2000 that Uruguay's National Directorate of Intelligence Information (Dirección Nacional de Información en Inteligencia) was investigating the activities of various Nazi groups among which were Arcane Negros (Arcanos Negros), Euroamerikaners and Anticapitalist Uruguay (Uruguay anticapitalista).

During the United Nations' International Forum Against Intolerance in Stockholm in February 2001, Uruguay was showcased as an example to other countries of positive actions taken against groups that incite racial hatred (Diversidad 2000 8 Feb. 2001). It was further said that Uruguay's actions in 1999 and 2000, including the prosecution of Cantero, were examples of concrete actions by judicial authorities to stamp out hate crimes in that country (ibid).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 17 September 2000. Fernando Butazzoni. "Uruguay: cae grupo neonazi." [Accessed 1 June 2001]

The Coordination Forum for Countering Antisemitism. December 1999. "Anti-Semitic Incidents - December 1999." [Accessed 1 May 2001]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000. 2001. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 29 May 2001]

Diversidad 2000. 8 February 2001. "Cruzada contra la intolerancia." [Accessed 23 May 2001]

EFE. 16 September 2000. "Uruguay-Neonazis Uruguayan Neo-Nazi Leader Jailed Over Anti-Semitic Campaign." (NEXIS)

_____. 14 September 2000. "Uruguay-Nazis Neo-Nazis in Uruguay Intensify Criticism of Jewish Politicians." (NEXIS)

_____. 14 August 1999. "Uruguay-Nazis Leader of Internet Neo-Nazi Ring Nabbed in Uruguay." (NEXIS)

Excélsior [Mexico]. 17 September 2000. "Protesta de Ultraderechistas en Neumuenster por la Clausura de un Centro de Neonazis." [Accessed 1 June 2001]

Inter Press Service (IPS). 25 August 1999. Raul Ronzoni. "Rights-Uruguay: In a First, Internet Activity Prompts Arrests." (NEXIS)

_____. 13 August 1999. Daniel Gatti. "Rights-Latam: Cybernetic Neo-Nazis." (NEXIS)

_____. 23 February 1999. Daniel Gatti. "Rights: Neo-Nazis Remain Active in Latin America." (NEXIS)

Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 28 April 1998. Sergio Kiernan. "Uruguay Officials Probe Outbreak of Anti-Semitism." (The Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)

Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism. September 2000. Anti-Semitism Worldwide 1999/2000: Uruguay. [Accessed 1 May 2001]