Why was there a military takeover in Uruguay?
President Juan María Bordaberry closed parliament, and ruled with the assistance of a junta of military generals. The official reason was to crush the Tupamaros, a Marxist urban guerrilla movement. The leftist trade union federations called a general strike and occupation of factories.
Does Uruguay have military?
The Armed Forces of Uruguay (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas del Uruguay or FF. AA. del Uruguay) consist of an army, navy, and air force. The government has trimmed the armed forces to about 16,800 for the army; 6,000 for the navy; and 3,000 for the air force.
Is Uruguay a democracy?
Uruguay is a representative democratic republic with a presidential system. The members of government are elected for a five-year term by a universal suffrage system.
Which European countries eventually founded cities in what is now Uruguay?
Uruguay had long been inhabited by indigineous people who would hunt, gather, and fish on the land. Europeans discovered the country in 1516, but it was settled by the Portugese in 1680. In 1726, the Spanish took control and founded Montevideo.
Has Uruguay ever had a dictator?
The civic-military dictatorship of Uruguay (1973–85), also known as the Uruguayan Dictatorship, was an authoritarian military dictatorship that ruled Uruguay for 12 years, from June 27, 1973 (after the U.S. backed 1973 coup d’état) until February 28, 1985.
Who is in power in Uruguay?
The current president since 1 March 2020 is Luis Lacalle Pou, the son of the 36th president, Luis Alberto Lacalle.
Is Uruguay a developed country?
You may be surprised to read that Uruguay is one of the most developed countries in Latin America with a very high quality of life. Tourism plays an important role in Uruguay and the industry is actively supported.
Is Uruguay free?
Uruguay’s economic freedom score is 69.3, making its economy the 44th freest in the 2021 Index. Its overall score has increased by 0.2 point, primarily because of an improvement in fiscal health.
What European country colonized Uruguay?
Uruguay became independent of Spain in 1811 and was annexed by Brazil until 1825. Following a three-year federation with Argentina, Uruguay became an independent nation in 1828. Thirty years later, the United States established diplomatic relations with Uruguay and the two nations have since maintained close ties.
Who established Uruguay?
The first permanent settlement on the territory of present-day Uruguay was founded by Spanish Jesuits in 1624 at Villa Soriano on the Río Negro, where they tried to establish a Misiones Orientales system for the Charrúas.