Uruguay Assists Over 100,000 After Activating Red Cold Weather Alert

Uruguay has provided assistance to more than 100,000 homeless individuals since enacting a red alert for cold weather on May 7, 2026. The mandatory evacuation of people living on the streets began two days after the alert was declared.

The National Emergency System reported that 88,327 individuals were taken to shelters managed by the Ministry of Social Development. An additional 16,426 people were transferred to evacuation centers. This measure is a repeat of a similar procedure implemented in 2025 to protect vulnerable populations from extreme temperatures.

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Just like last year, we will proceed with the mandatory evacuation of people on the streets. This will be deployed nationwide starting Thursday.

Secretary of the Presidency Alejandro Sánchez explained the process, stating that evacuation centers would initially open in central Montevideo and its outskirts, with more locations to be added. He emphasized the crucial role of the national police in collaboration with social development teams to carry out the decree. "The people who are living in the open, because their health is at risk and they also have a significant component of social vulnerability, we are going to transfer them," Sánchez said.

In 2025, Uruguay also declared a similar alert, leading authorities to transfer homeless individuals to evacuation centers, even if they resisted. The authorities at that time also informed the Justice system about these actions.

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The people who are living in the open, because their health is at risk and they also have a significant component of social vulnerability, we are going to transfer them.