Uruguay's economy minister calls child poverty a 'time bomb'

Uruguay's Minister of Economy and Finance, Gabriel Oddone, has issued a stark warning about the state of child poverty in the country, labeling it a "time bomb" that threatens social cohesion. He revealed that one-third of Uruguayan children are living in poverty, a situation he deems both unjust and a significant future risk.

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child poverty in Uruguay was cataloged as "a time bomb"

Speaking at an event organized by the Commercial Defense League, Oddone highlighted the urgent need to bolster the system of transfers to children. He pointed out a concerning imbalance, stating, "For every poor elderly person, we have nine or ten poor children. A third of the children in this country are poor."

Oddone stressed that beyond the inherent injustice to children who do not choose their circumstances, the high rate of child poverty poses a long-term threat to societal stability. "It is not only unjust because these children did not choose to be poor, they live in households where there is poverty, but also because, even without any consideration of social justice, it is a time bomb for our coexistence in society," he stated.

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We have in Uruguay for every poor elderly person nine or ten poor children. A third of the children in this country are poor.

The government's proposed budget bill, which seeks to reallocate funds and increase spending by $31 million to address child poverty, is currently under debate in Parliament. However, the bill faces an uphill battle as opposition parties, including the National, Colorado, and Independent parties, have announced they will not support it, jeopardizing its approval. Official statistics from the National Institute of Statistics indicate that 16.6% of Uruguayans lived below the poverty line in 2025, with the rate significantly higher among children and adolescents.

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it is a time bomb for our coexistence in society