Prosecutors claim they work at 'limit' and warn of rising 'vigilante justice'

Prosecutors in Uruguay are sounding the alarm, stating they are operating at the "limit of their human and material capacities." In the context of parliamentary discussions on reforming the Criminal Procedure Code, the prosecutor's association highlighted a rise in "vigilante justice" and expressed concern that "nothing has changed" since an attack on the chief prosecutor.

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Prosecutors are working at the limit of their human and material capacities.

María Claudia González, president of the Association of Uruguayan Prosecutors, directly appealed to senators for a greater budget. She explained that "budgetary restrictions" not only impact the "quality and speed of the system's response" but also create "concrete risks of impunity" due to the sheer volume of cases that cannot be adequately addressed. The association warned that proposed measures to shorten "certain procedural deadlines" could further exacerbate the current situation.

"Prosecutors are working at the edge of the system's real possibilities, with resources that do not match the needs of the service and, often, at the cost of our own physical and mental health," González stated. She added that some colleagues even require security escorts due to threats received. She pushed back against public perceptions, asserting that prosecutors are neither overly lenient nor excessively rigorous, but rather professional public servants.

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budgetary restrictions... not only repercute in the quality and in the speed of response of the system, but also generate concrete risks of impunity due to the material impossibility of adequately attending to the volume of existing cases.

González also emphasized the growing danger of "vigilante justice," warning, "Be careful! The alerts are going off!" She argued that for a republic, the greatest threat is the loss of public trust in institutions and the inability to provide timely and effective responses. While acknowledging that responses must be of high quality, she stressed the necessity of providing them.

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Prosecutors are working at the edge of the system's real possibilities, with resources that do not match the needs of the service and, often, at the cost of our own physical and mental health.

The association also pointed to the evolution of crime in Uruguay, noting the emergence of "criminal organizations" that require deeper investigation. They advocate for strengthening the prosecutor's office not to infringe on rights, but to effectively uncover criminal activities, understand motives behind drug-related violence, and trace the origins of illegal weapons. They criticized proposals to shorten investigation timelines, citing the complexity of ongoing cases.

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Be careful! The alerts are going off! There is nothing worse for a republican state than losing confidence in institutions and not being able to provide answers.