Critics slam Uruguay's plan to use military vehicles for crime patrols

Uruguay's Interior Ministry is set to deploy up to 12 military armored vehicles for patrols in Montevideo's high-crime neighborhoods, a move aimed at bolstering security. Minister of the Interior Carlos Negro announced that these vehicles, comprising five different models, will be operated by trained police officers.

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The Ministry of Defense has made available to the National Police up to 12 armored vehicles, with five different types of models and capabilities.

In situations where police cannot be trained to operate the vehicles, military personnel will be assigned on a temporary commission basis. Minister of Defense Sandra Lazo clarified that the arrangement is a "loan" between the ministries, emphasizing cooperation in response to the current societal reality. She added that the vehicles are intended for use in areas experiencing significant crime.

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We are making a specific agreement where the Ministry of the Interior and Defense exercise this cooperation in response to the reality that society is currently experiencing.

Negro further stated that any military personnel driving these vehicles would be armed and authorized to use their weapons to protect themselves if necessary. This aspect of the plan has drawn sharp criticism from former Defense Minister and current Senator Javier García.

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He will surely exercise that right, to use that weapon that will be in his possession, and that eventually, if he has to use it to preserve his physical integrity, his safety and his life, he will use it.

García argued that the government's decision, influenced by internal disagreements and ideological prejudices, unfairly exposes military personnel. He contends that these soldiers will be left to defend themselves without the state's explicit mandate or protection, potentially placing them in dangerous situations.

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Due to differences within the government and ideological prejudices, military personnel are being exposed to defend themselves personally in case of aggression and without the state's protection, even though the state orders them on a mission but leaves them alone.