URUGUAY · POLITICS
Key Facts
- The country Uruguay, a South American democracy of about 3.4 million people, is led by centre-left President Yamandú Orsi, in office since March 2025.
- What happened On Wednesday 14 October Parliament voted to send its inquiry into a failed navy deal to criminal prosecutors.
- The deal Uruguay ordered two ocean patrol ships from Cardama, a Spanish shipyard, under conservative former president Luis Lacalle Pou.
- The money Governing lawmakers put the deal at more than 80 million euros (about US$89 million) and allege bogus guarantees and false documents.
- The vote The motion passed with 65 of 128 members present after two deputies of a small party left the chamber.
- Power Index Uruguay ranks 7th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 45.9 points (October 2026 edition).
- Still open Whether prosecutors open a criminal case, and when Uruguay orders replacement patrol ships.
Uruguay’s Parliament voted on Wednesday 14 October to send the failed Uruguay navy deal with a Spanish shipyard to criminal prosecutors. The contract for two ocean patrol ships was worth more than 80 million euros (about US$89 million), a governing lawmaker said.
The ships were meant to guard waters where opposition lawmakers point to drug trafficking and illegal fishing. Nearly a year after the government said it would cancel the contract, no replacement has been ordered, an opposition deputy said on Tuesday.
How the Vote Was Won
The vote took place in the General Assembly, the joint sitting of Uruguay’s Senate and Chamber of Deputies, with 130 members in all. The Frente Amplio, the centre-left coalition of President Yamandú Orsi, holds exactly 65 of those seats.
Its motion passed with 65 votes out of 128 legislators present, Montevideo Portal, a Uruguayan news site, reported. Two deputies from Cabildo Abierto had left the chamber, and with them in the room the coalition would have fallen short.
Cabildo Abierto is a small nationalist conservative party founded by retired army chief Guido Manini Ríos. Colorado Party deputy Adrián Juri asked for a two-minute recess so its members could come back and, in his words, show their faces.
The governing coalition voted the recess down and moved straight to its own motion. La diaria, a Montevideo daily, also reported that the majority was reached with Cabildo Abierto out of the room.
What Prosecutors Are Asked to Examine
The motion sends the inquiry’s work on the navy deal to the Fiscalía General de la Nación, Uruguay’s national prosecution service. It points to acts with “the appearance of crime” and asks prosecutors to determine any criminal liability, la diaria reported.
The request covers public officials and private parties, both Uruguayan and foreign, Montevideo Portal reported. All documents gathered by the cross-party inquiry, set up in February 2026, go to the prosecutors’ unit for economic and complex crimes.
Frente Amplio deputy Joaquín Garlo said the navy deal involves more than 80 million euros (about US$89 million) of public money. The dollar figure uses a rate of 0.89 euros per US dollar on 15 October.
Garlo spoke of “bogus guarantees” and “false documentation” behind the contract. Senator Eduardo Brenta of the Frente Amplio called the end of the parliamentary inquiry “a very important event”, Montevideo Portal reported.
The Opposition Cries Foul
The opposition is led by the National Party of former president Luis Lacalle Pou, whose government ordered the ships, and the Colorado Party. Their lawmakers argue the inquiry found no sign of any irregular act by public officials, la diaria reported before the session.
They also call the cancellation of the navy deal hasty. Before the vote, Colorado deputy Felipe Schipani said the Frente Amplio “went for wool and came back shorn”, a saying for a plan that backfires.
Four reports came out of the inquiry, including one from Cabildo Abierto and one from Identidad Soberana, a small party led by lawyer Gustavo Salle. Senator Daniel Caggiani of the Frente Amplio, who chaired the session, refused to put the rival texts to a vote.
Caggiani called them “totally different things” and said voting on them would be contradictory. Colorado senator Tabaré Viera called the move an abuse by the majority and wrote that “this is not the democracy we Uruguayans want”.
A Navy Still Waiting for Ships
It is almost a year since the government said it would cancel the navy deal over “strong signs of fraud”, la diaria recalled. The cancellation was confirmed in February 2026, and the navy is still waiting for replacement ships.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Sandra Lazo told the defence committee of the lower house that she would report on new ships in due course. She said she would not announce what her ministry does not yet have, Subrayado, a television news service, reported.
National Party deputy Gabriel Gianoli said that a year after the cancellation, the plan was back at square one. He said there were no files, tenders or resolutions for new ships.
Colorado deputy Maximiliano Campo said the purchase should have been settled a year ago. He cited drug trafficking and illegal fishing in Uruguayan waters as reasons why new ships are urgent.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the Uruguay navy deal shows how the country polices a large public contract signed under a previous government. Foreign firms are part of the request too, since prosecutors are asked to look at private parties abroad.
Any company that bids for the replacement ships will do so with this case in the background. The vote has no direct effect on tourists or on investors in Uruguayan bonds.
The vote is not a criminal charge, and it does not mean that anyone has committed a crime. Everyone involved is presumed innocent unless a court rules otherwise.
What Is Not Known
Prosecutors have not said what they will do with the file, or how long a review would take. It is unclear which officials or private parties, if any, would face an investigation.
It is also open how the dispute with the Spanish shipyard over the cancelled navy deal will end. Lazo has given no date for a new order, only a pledge to have patrol ships by the end of the government’s term.
More: Uruguay news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cardama case in Uruguay?
It concerns an order for two ocean patrol ships from Cardama, a shipyard in Spain, placed under former president Luis Lacalle Pou. The current government said almost a year ago that it would cancel the contract over strong signs of fraud.
What did Uruguay’s Parliament decide on 14 October?
The General Assembly voted 65 of 128 members present to send its inquiry to the national prosecution service. The motion asks prosecutors to determine any criminal liability of officials and private parties.
Does the vote mean a crime was committed in the Uruguay navy deal?
No, the vote only refers the file to prosecutors, who decide whether there is a case to pursue. Everyone involved is presumed innocent unless a court rules otherwise.
Why does the deal matter outside Uruguay?
It involves more than 80 million euros (about US$89 million) and foreign private parties. The ships were meant to patrol waters where lawmakers point to drug trafficking and illegal fishing.
Sources: Montevideo Portal, Caso Cardama: FA aprobó enviar a Fiscalía su informe por actos con apariencia delictiva, 14 October 2026; Montevideo Portal, Cabildo Abierto salió de sala y permitió al FA aprobar su moción por el caso Cardama, 14 October 2026; Montevideo Portal, Asamblea aprobó informe del FA y cerró sesión; oposición criticó que no se votara el suyo, 14 October 2026; la diaria, Asamblea General por Cardama: sin Cabildo Abierto en sala, FA consiguió la mayoría para aprobar su moción, 14 October 2026; la diaria, Asamblea General trata los informes sobre Cardama, 13 October 2026; Subrayado, Lazo compareció en comisión de Diputados por las patrulleras oceánicas, 13 October 2026; la diaria, Lazo sobre la compra de patrullas oceánicas, 13 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief