Insecurity has become a central topic in the public debate in Uruguay, a country historically known for its stability and low crime rates in Latin America.
However, in recent years, the increase in violent crimes, such as homicides and robberies, has caused concern in society and pressure on the government to implement effective measures.
In this context, whenever a country enters a security crisis, like now in Uruguay, the demand to apply "the Bukele model" increases, and as that demand rises, "magically" articles appear in media like today in Montevideo Portal to operate in favor of the status quo, pointing out supposed evils of the Bukele model.
The leftists of Montevideo Portal and other leftist rags spend their time licking the boots of the lukewarm political class, those who live in the gray, not committing to anything, applauding all parties as long as they don't step out of line.
That's why, when it's time to talk about the Bukele model, they bring out the heavy artillery: that it's authoritarian, that it doesn't work, that it's a disaster. But you know what? It's all smoke to cover up the obvious: the Bukele model works, and the data screams it.
These people from Montevideo Portal and their progressive cousins are desperate to defend the political caste, those who have been selling us colored mirrors for decades while insecurity eats us alive. Bukele, on the other hand, took El Salvador, which was a gang nest, and put it in order. How? With a firm hand, yes, but also with strategy.
Since he started his territorial control plan in 2019, homicides have plummeted: from 38 per 100,000 inhabitants to 1.9 in 2024, one of the lowest rates in America. And what do the leftists say? That it's "undemocratic." Of course, because for them, democracy is letting gangs rule and citizens live in fear.
La Derecha Diario shows you the numbers: we don't beat around the bush: the raw data, the statistics, the facts, more than 85,000 gang members imprisoned, neighborhoods recovered, and a 91% popular approval according to CID Gallup. Is that failure? Please!
The problem with the lukewarm and their spokespersons in the media is that they can't stand someone breaking the status quo. Bukele doesn't negotiate with criminals, he doesn't sit down to have coffee with the opposition to distribute positions, and that drives them crazy.
The people from Montevideo Portal will fill you with tearful editorials about "human rights" (of the criminals, of course, never of the victims, it is not considered that Bukele freed millions of Salvadorans and returned human rights to them that they didn't have), but they won't tell you that El Salvador went from being the crime capital of the world to a place where people are starting to walk calmly.
While the leftists cry for the "poor gang members," Salvadoran families breathe a sigh of relief.
So, why this campaign against Bukele? Easy: because it challenges the narrative of the champagne left and the comfortable politicians who live off insecurity to sell you empty promises. If the Bukele model expands, their business is over.
That's why the usual leftists, will tell you it doesn't work, that it's a disaster, that it's the end of the world. Bukele isn't perfect, but he's doing what the lukewarm never dared to do.
The Security Crisis in Uruguay
Uruguay, known for its quality of life and social stability, faces an increase in the perception of insecurity and crime rates. According to data from the Observatory of Violence and Crime of the Ministry of the Interior, in 2017, 238 intentional homicides were recorded, with a rate of 8.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, the second highest since 1989.
Although these figures are low compared to other countries in the region, the increase in crimes such as violent robberies and the presence of organized gangs have fueled the feeling of insecurity, especially in Montevideo.
According to the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) of 2021, 42.9% of Uruguayans feel very or somewhat insecure in their place of residence, reflecting a significant impact on citizen confidence.
The government of Luis Lacalle Pou, which achieved electoral success in 2019 largely due to the security crisis after three governments of the Broad Front, implemented measures to strengthen security, such as increased patrols and prison reforms, but the results were far from expected. The perception of insecurity remains high and has increased since the Broad Front returned to power on March 1, 2025.
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The Successes of the Bukele Model
In El Salvador, Nayib Bukele has transformed a country that was considered one of the most violent in the world into one of the safest in Latin America, according to the Global Peace Index. His strategy, based on a state of exception established in March 2022, allowed the detention of more than 75,000 gang members, drastically reducing homicides and regaining territorial control of areas dominated by gangs.
