URUGUAY: Protest against neoliberal policies and restrictive laws

In Uruguay during 2020 one area of civil society concern was the passing of a package of laws that, among other things, will make it harder to strike or deploy the key protest tactic of blockading roads, and will give the police new powers to use force against protesters. The new laws could also potentially criminalise criticism of the policing of protests. The package of laws, which also included several neoliberal economic changes, including in relation to education and healthcare, was passed by Uruguay’s right-of-centre government of President Luis Lacalle Pou, who took office in March.