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This article deals with thediplomatic affairs,foreign policy andinternational relations ofUruguay. At the political level, these matters are officially handled by theMinistry of Foreign Relations, also known asCancillería, which answers to thePresident.
Uruguay traditionally has had strong political and cultural links with its neighbours and Europe. British diplomatAlfred Mitchell-Innes was Minister to Uruguay throughout the crucial years of World War I (1913–1919).
Withglobalization and regional economic problems, its links to North America have strengthened. Uruguay is a strong advocate of constitutional democracy, political pluralism, and individual liberties. Its international relations historically have been guided by the principles of nonintervention, multilateralism, respect for national sovereignty, and reliance on the rule of law to settle disputes. Uruguay's international relations also reflect its drive to seek export markets and foreign investment. It is a founding member ofMERCOSUR. In June 1991, MERCOSUR and the United States signed theRose Garden Agreement (also known as the "Four Plus One" Agreement). The agreement was non-operational until June 2001 when MERCOSUR invited the U.S. to discuss the feasibility of market access negotiations. The first U.S.-MERCOSUR meeting was held on September 24, 2001, and resulted in the creation of four working groups on industrial trade, e-commerce, agriculture, and investment.
Uruguay was a member of the Rio Group, an association of Latin American states that deals with multilateral security issues (under theInter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance), prior to the group's dissolution in 2011. Uruguay's location betweenArgentina andBrazil makes close relations with these two larger neighbors and MERCOSUR associate membersChile andBolivia particularly important. An early proponent of the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative, Uruguay has actively participated in the follow-up process to the periodic Summits of the Americas, especially theFree Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Often considered a neutral country and blessed with a professional diplomatic corps, Uruguay is often called on to preside international bodies. Most recently, Uruguay was selected to chair theFTAA andWTO agricultural committees and a Uruguayan presides over the WTO General Assembly. Uruguay also is a member of theLatin American Integration Association (ALADI), a trade association based inMontevideo that includes 10 South American countries plus Mexico andCuba.
In 2020, the new right-wing president of Uruguay,Luis Lacalle Pou, announced that he will implement radical changes in Uruguay's foreign policy, taking a harder attitude against disputed PresidentNicolas Maduro's regime in Venezuela and improving relations with the U.S. The previous left-wing government of Uruguay had recognized Maduro as Venezuela's president. President Luis Lacalle Pou also declared the presidents of Venezuela and Cuba to be "dictators."[1]
Disputes - international: Uncontested disputes with Brazil over tinyIsla Brasilera at the mouth of theQuarai/Cuareim River near theArgentina tripoint, and, 225 kilometers upriver, over the 235 km2. Invernada River region, as to which tributary is the legitimate source of the Quarai/Cuareim River.
In the 1960s, the USOffice of Public Safety helped in training Uruguayan police officers.Dan Mitrione taught torture methods used against the civilian population and theTupamaros.[2]
List of countries which Uruguay maintains diplomatic relations with:
| # | Country | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 September 1829[3] | |
| 2 | 29 September 1829[4] | |
| 3 | 22 February 1831[5] | |
| 4 | 21 February 1833[6][7] | |
| 5 | 8 April 1836[8] | |
| 6 | 28 February 1842[9] | |
| 7 | 1 November 1843[10] | |
| 8 | 1 November 1843[11] | |
| 9 | 1 January 1846[12] | |
| 10 | 14 February 1846[13] | |
| 11 | 30 April 1853[14] | |
| 12 | 9 September 1857[15] | |
| 13 | 16 May 1862[16] | |
| 14 | 13 August 1862[17] | |
| 15 | 2 October 1867[18] | |
| 16 | 19 July 1870[19] | |
| — | 31 December 1877[20] | |
| 17 | 25 August 1888[21] | |
| 18 | 27 May 1891[22] | |
| 19 | 8 April 1892[23] | |
| 20 | 15 April 1896[24][25] | |
| 21 | 1 September 1902[26] | |
| 22 | 28 October 1904[27] | |
| 23 | 3 April 1906[28] | |
| 24 | 6 August 1906[29] | |
| 25 | 16 March 1907[30] | |
| 26 | 30 August 1912[31] | |
| 31 | 19 April 1920[32] | |
| 27 | 30 June 1920[31] | |
| 28 | 22 July 1920[33] | |
| 29 | 16 August 1921[34] | |
| 30 | 24 September 1921[35] | |
| 32 | 4 January 1929[36] | |
| 33 | 11 January 1929[37][38] | |
| 34 | 11 January 1929[39] | |
| 35 | 11 January 1929[40] | |
| 36 | 11 January 1929[41][42] | |
| 37 | 25 February 1932[43] | |
| 38 | 23 April 1932[44] | |
| 39 | 6 January 1934[45] | |
| 40 | 21 March 1935[46] | |
| 41 | 24 July 1935[47] | |
| 42 | 5 September 1945[48] | |
| 43 | 5 September 1945[49] | |
| 44 | 25 October 1945[50] | |
| 45 | 11 October 1946[51] | |
| 46 | 19 May 1948[52] | |
| 47 | 15 December 1948[53] | |
| 48 | September 1950[54] | |
| 49 | January 1951[55] | |
| 50 | 9 January 1952[56] | |
| 51 | 19 January 1955[57] | |
| 52 | 14 June 1956[58] | |
| 53 | 21 May 1958[59] | |
| 54 | 27 June 1960[60] | |
| 55 | 27 September 1962[61] | |
| 56 | 20 December 1962[62] | |
| 57 | 21 August 1964[43] | |
| 58 | 7 October 1964[63] | |
| 59 | 1964[64] | |
| 60 | 20 February 1965[43] | |
| 61 | 16 September 1965[43] | |
| 62 | 22 November 1965[65] | |
| 63 | 24 November 1965[66] | |
| — | 1965[67] | |
| 64 | 9 June 1966[68] | |
| 65 | 6 December 1967[69] | |
| 66 | 22 April 1968[43] | |
| 67 | 9 July 1974[70] | |
| 68 | 13 October 1975[71] | |
| 69 | 25 November 1975[72] | |
| 70 | 29 December 1975[73] | |
| 71 | 22 March 1976[74] | |
| 72 | 15 June 1976[75] | |
| 73 | 8 May 1978[43] | |
| 74 | 9 March 1979[76] | |
| 75 | 8 April 1980[77] | |
| 76 | 1980[78] | |
| 77 | 15 September 1981[43] | |
| 78 | 24 May 1982[43] | |
| 79 | 14 June 1982[43] | |
| 80 | 20 July 1982[79] | |
| 81 | 25 November 1982[80] | |
| 82 | 31 March 1984[81] | |
| 83 | 1 September 1984[43] | |
| 84 | 23 May 1985[82] | |
| 85 | 3 June 1985[82] | |
| 86 | 13 June 1985[83] | |
| 87 | 20 September 1985[82] | |
| 88 | 14 January 1987[84] | |
| 89 | 6 March 1987[43] | |
| 90 | 16 March 1987[85] | |
| 91 | 1 April 1987[43] | |
| 92 | 6 April 1987[86] | |
| 93 | 27 April 1987[87] | |
| 94 | 15 July 1987[88] | |
| 95 | 17 July 1987[89] | |
| 96 | 15 September 1987[90] | |
| 97 | 22 September 1987[43] | |
| 98 | 28 September 1987[82] | |
| 99 | 5 January 1988[82] | |
| 100 | 3 February 1988[82] | |
| 101 | 1988[43] | |
| 102 | 25 March 1989[43] | |
| 103 | 1 September 1989[82] | |
| 104 | 26 September 1990[43] | |
| 105 | 4 October 1990[82] | |
| 106 | 18 June 1991[91] | |
| 107 | 4 October 1991[43] | |
| 108 | 18 May 1992[92] | |
| 109 | 27 May 1992[93] | |
| 110 | 6 July 1992[82] | |
| 111 | 7 July 1992[82] | |
| 112 | 30 September 1992[82] | |
| 113 | 1 January 1993[94] | |
| 114 | 8 March 1993[82] | |
| 115 | 26 April 1993[82] | |
| 116 | 4 May 1993[95] | |
| 117 | 30 July 1993[82] | |
| 118 | 11 August 1993[82] | |
| 119 | 13 August 1993[82] | |
| 120 | 28 October 1993[62] | |
| 121 | 25 April 1994[96] | |
| 122 | 11 May 1994[97] | |
| 123 | 13 September 1994[43] | |
| 124 | 19 September 1994[82] | |
| 125 | 29 September 1994[82] | |
| 126 | 11 January 1995[82] | |
| 127 | 25 May 1995[98] | |
| 128 | 28 September 1995[82] | |
| 129 | 14 May 1996[82] | |
| 130 | 16 July 1996[99] | |
| 131 | 17 September 1996[82] | |
| 132 | 27 November 1996[100] | |
| 133 | 7 October 1997[82] | |
| 134 | 25 May 1998[101] | |
| 135 | 26 May 1998[43] | |
| 136 | 1 October 1998[82] | |
| 137 | 9 April 1999[62] | |
| 138 | 21 July 1999[82] | |
| 139 | 22 September 1999[82] | |
| 140 | 22 February 2001[82] | |
| 141 | 10 April 2001[102] | |
| 142 | 17 May 2002[103] | |
| — | 26 December 2005[43] | |
| 143 | 4 May 2007[43] | |
| 144 | 1 June 2007[43] | |
| 145 | 19 June 2007[43] | |
| 146 | 28 August 2007[43] | |
| 147 | 29 August 2007[104] | |
| 148 | 25 September 2007[43] | |
| 149 | 28 September 2007[43] | |
| 150 | 12 February 2008[43] | |
| 151 | 14 February 2008[43] | |
| 152 | 23 September 2008[105] | |
| 153 | 12 November 2008[43] | |
| 154 | 24 February 2009[82] | |
| 155 | 25 February 2009[106] | |
| 156 | 14 May 2009[43] | |
| 157 | 16 June 2009[43] | |
| 158 | 6 August 2009[82] | |
| 159 | 2 December 2009[82] | |
| 160 | 26 March 2010[43] | |
| 161 | 22 September 2010[43] | |
| 162 | 4 February 2011[82] | |
| 163 | 25 February 2011[107][108] | |
| 164 | 14 March 2011[109] | |
| 165 | 23 March 2011[43] | |
| — | 29 March 2011[82] | |
| 166 | 9 September 2011[82] | |
| 167 | 18 April 2012[82] | |
| 168 | 6 March 2013[43] | |
| 169 | 21 March 2013[82] | |
| 170 | 5 September 2013[82] | |
| 171 | 10 September 2013[82] | |
| 172 | 18 December 2017[43] | |
| 173 | 15 May 2019[82] | |
| 174 | 14 March 2024[82] | |
| 175 | 19 September 2024[82] | |
| 176 | Unknown | |
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
SeeAngola–Uruguay relations
| ||
| 31 March 1984[81] | SeeDemocratic Republic of the Congo–Uruguay relations In December 2021, PresidentLuis Lacalle Pou paid a visit toBukavu andGoma and visited with Uruguayan soldiers stationed there as part ofMONUSCO in Eastern DR Congo.[110]
| |
SeeEgypt–Uruguay relations
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| 4 October 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 October 1991.[113]
|
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20 July 1811 | SeeArgentina–Uruguay relations Uruguay and Argentina established diplomatic relations on July 20, 1811. Uruguay gained its independence after theCisplatine War, with Argentine aid. During theUruguayan Civil War, Argentina supported theNational Party. The countries were allied during theParaguayan War. Since the end of the 19th century, both countries have shared a similar pattern ofEuropean immigration. They have very close economic, cultural and political ties with each other. Between the 1960s and the 1990s there was much Uruguayan immigration to Argentina. Today, there are around 120,000 people of Uruguayan descent living in Argentina. In 2006 the countries had their first diplomatic tensions over thePulp mill dispute, which was resolved in 2010.
| |
SeeBolivia–Uruguay relations
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| 28 September 1987 |
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SeeBrazil–Uruguay relations
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| 1953 | SeeCanada–Uruguay relations
| |
SeeChile–Uruguay relations
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| SeeColombia–Uruguay relations | ||
SeeCosta Rica–Uruguay relations
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SeeCuba–Uruguay relations
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SeeDominican Republic–Uruguay relations
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SeeEcuador–Uruguay relations
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SeeEl Salvador–Uruguay relations
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SeeGuatemala–Uruguay relations
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| 3 June 1985 |
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SeeHonduras–Uruguay relations
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| 22 February 1831 | SeeMexico–Uruguay relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on the 22 February 1831.
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SeeNicaragua–Uruguay relations
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SeePanama–Uruguay relations
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| SeeParaguay–Uruguay relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on April 6, 1845. During theParaguayan War, even if Uruguay was the smallest member of the coalition which Paraguay had to face, soldiers of both countries fought each other during three major battles:Battle of Jataí,Battle of Tuyutí andBattle of Curupaity. Both countries were founding members of theMercosur. Both countries are full members of theLatin Union, of theAssociation of Spanish Language Academies, of theOrganization of American States, of theOrganization of Ibero-American States, of theUnion of South American Nations, and of the formerRio Group.
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| SeePeru–Uruguay relations Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1912, but various agreements were informally passed during the second half of the 19th century. Both countries are full members of theLatin Union, of theAssociation of Spanish Language Academies, of theOrganization of American States, of theOrganization of Ibero-American States and of theUnion of South American Nations, and of the formerRio Group.
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| SeeUnited States–Uruguay relations Uruguay cooperates with the U.S. on law enforcement matters, such as regional efforts to fight drug trafficking and terrorism. It has also been very active in human rights issues. In 2002, Uruguay and the U.S. created a Joint Commission on Trade and Investment (JCTI) to exchange ideas on a variety of economic topics. In March 2003, the JCTI identified six areas of concentration until the eventual signing of theFree Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA): customs issues,intellectual property protection, investment, labor,environment, and trade in goods. In late 2004, Uruguay and the U.S. signed an Open Skies Agreement, which was ratified in May 2006. In November 2005, they signed aBilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), which entered into force on November 1, 2006. ATrade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed in January 2007. More than 80 U.S.-owned companies operate in Uruguay, and many more market U.S. goods and services.
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SeeUruguay–Venezuela relations
|
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 27 May 1992 | SeeArmenia–Uruguay relations
| |
| 11 January 1995[124] | SeeAzerbaijan–Uruguay relations
| |
| 1988 | SeeChina–Uruguay relations
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SeeIndia–Uruguay relations
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SeeIran–Uruguay relations
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SeeIsrael–Uruguay relations
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| September 1921 | SeeJapan–Uruguay relations
| |
| 1945 | SeeLebanon–Uruguay relations
| |
SeeMalaysia–Uruguay relations
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SeePalestine–Uruguay relations
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| 7 October 1964[136] | SeeSouth Korea–Uruguay relations
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| 1929[138] | SeeTurkey–Uruguay relations | |
SeeUruguay–Vietnam relations
|
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
SeeAustria–Uruguay relations
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SeeBelgium–Uruguay relations
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| SeeCzech Republic–Uruguay relations | ||
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| 21 March 1935 | SeeFinland–Uruguay relations
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| 1825 | SeeFrance–Uruguay relations
| |
| 1850 | SeeGermany–Uruguay relations
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SeeGreece–Uruguay relations
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SeeHoly See–Uruguay relations
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SeeHungary–Uruguay relations
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| 1861 | SeeItaly–Uruguay relations
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SeeNetherlands–Uruguay relations
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SeePoland–Uruguay relations
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SeePortugal–Uruguay relations
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SeeRomania–Uruguay relations
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| SeeRussia–Uruguay relations Russia is looking for cooperation with Uruguay in the field of nuclear energy, the Russian ambassador to Latin America said: "Our countries could maintain cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy although Uruguay's legislation bans the use of nuclear energy". The diplomat said Uruguayan officials had shown interest in a floating nuclear power plant, when the project's presentation took place at the Russian Embassy recently. The first floating plant will have capacity of 70 MW of electricity, and about 300 MW of thermal power. The cost of the first plant is estimated at US$400 million, but could later be reduced to $240 million. This year marks the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Uruguay.
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| 1950 | Both countries have established diplomatic relations in September 1950.[143] A number of bilateral agreements in various fields have been concluded and are in force between both countries.[144]
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| 19 July 1870 | SeeSpain–Uruguay relations
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SeeSweden–Uruguay relations
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| 1828 | SeeSwitzerland–Uruguay relations Both countries share a long history of mutual economic relations, and they established diplomatic relations in 1828.[147] In the twentieth century, Uruguay has looked to Switzerland as a model for government, historical and cultural ties go back to at least the nineteenth century.[148] There are 956 people with Swiss passports residing in Uruguay in 2009. Uruguay was described as the "Switzerland of the Americas" in a 1951New York Times article for its popularity as a haven for capital fleeing Europe at the time and its adoption of Swiss-inspired banking laws. Thomas J. Knight also wrote that "Uruguay has for most of its history been the 'Switzerland' of South America."[149]
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SeeUkraine–Uruguay relations
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| 1833 | SeeUnited Kingdom–Uruguay relations Uruguay establisheddiplomatic relations with the United Kingdom in 1833.[6][7]
Both countries share common membership of the Atlantic Co-operation Pact,[153] theInternational Criminal Court, theUnited Nations, theWorld Health Organization, and theWorld Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have an Investment Agreement.[154] |
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
SeeAustralia–Uruguay relations
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|
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)Uruguay Foreign Minister paid a five - day visit to Iran from November 20 , 1975. On November 25 , Iran and Uruguay announced they had decided to establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Switzerland and Uruguay feature relatively stable and reliable democracies. And both countries share a long history of mutual economic relations. ... This Swiss settlement was soon to become known for the exceptional quality of its cheese and other dairy products. As transport developed, the farmers began selling their products on an unprecedented scale, notably to Argentina and even to Switzerland. ... Uruguay and Switzerland laid down the cornerstone of their cooperation in 1938: The two countries signed a trade agreement aimed to enhance commercial cooperation. And in 1991, an agreement on the mutual protection of investments became effective.
Switzerland and republican Austria have not been colonial powers, but some attention should be paid to the case of Uruguay for which Swiss democracy served ...