Uruguay to Restructure Montevideo Police Amid Rising Homicides

Uruguay's Ministry of the Interior is initiating a significant restructuring of the Montevideo Police Department in an effort to curb escalating homicide rates in the capital. Interior Minister Carlos Negro declared Montevideo the region of "greatest concern" regarding murders, signaling the urgency of the situation.

These upcoming changes, to be announced shortly, aim to "optimize efficiency in the prevention of homicides and reduce them." The move comes after a series of high-level appointments within the National Police in June, which Minister Negro stated were motivated solely by a desire to "improve police performance" following an evaluation of the force's work.

In June, several key positions were reassigned. Alfredo Clavijo moved from deputy director of the National Police to become the head of the Montevideo Police. Pablo Lotito, formerly the Montevideo chief, was appointed director of National Investigations. Julio Sena transitioned to deputy director of the National Police, and Fabián Monzón took over as director of the Republican Guard, replacing Angelina Ferreira. Julián Abraham was named director of Internal Affairs.

Additionally, the director of the maximum-security Unit 25, located within Unit No. 4 Santiago Vázquez, has been changed. Fabio Díaz was replaced by Tony Rodríguez, a move the ministry described as a "natural rotation of leadership positions."