Attorney Gustavo Salle's analysis once again highlighted the seriousness of drug trafficking in Uruguay following the attack on the home of Court Prosecutor Mónica Ferrero. For Salle, the incident was a mafia-style message directed at the institutions and a sign that violence linked to organized crime is on the rise.
He explained that it wasn't an attempted murder, but rather a clear warning to generate fear. "Drug trafficking in Uruguay operates with mafia logic: it intimidates, but it doesn't always eliminate," he said, referring to the type of attack.
Drug trafficking in Uruguay and vulnerable institutions
Salle emphasized that drug trafficking in Uruguay is embedded in a context of social exclusion and poverty, which facilitates the recruitment of young people in peripheral neighborhoods. He also questioned the institutional design of the Attorney General's Office, which he described as unconstitutional for centralizing powers in a single agency, which exposes officials and weakens the fight against crime.
The lawyer also emphasized international ties. He asserted that drug trafficking moves nearly $400 billion in the global financial system, making combating it a challenge that goes beyond the national level. " Banks and large economic interests feed off that money," he warned.
On a political level, he accused the authorities of displaying "hypocrisy" by only reacting when violence affects powerful figures, while the victims of marginalized communities remain invisible. For this reason, he demanded the resignation of the Minister of the Interior and the Undersecretary of the Presidency, whom he blamed for the lack of effective responses and for possible links to drug trafficking-related defenses.
Risk of a narco-state
In his speech, Salle warned that Uruguay runs the risk of becoming a "narco-state." In his view, the current economic and political model, based on inequality and weak institutions, opens the door to organized crime.
"As long as structural measures are not taken, violence will increase and democracy will be compromised," he asserted. For him, combating drug trafficking in Uruguay involves not only strengthening police and judicial resources, but also promoting profound social and economic changes.
The lawyer concluded his analysis by emphasizing that the discussion must go beyond official statements. “This is a structural problem. Firm and courageous state policies are needed to ensure that Uruguay is not subjected to the logic of drug trafficking,” he concluded.
Another aspect highlighted by specialists is the relationship between drug trafficking and the informal economy. In several neighborhoods across the country, odd jobs and daily hustle coexist with illicit activities that end up being a source of income for many families. This phenomenon creates a social dilemma: while some young people find precarious work a way to make ends meet, others end up linked to criminal networks that offer more money quickly, albeit at a high personal and community cost.
Furthermore, various international reports have warned that Uruguay , due to its strategic location in the South Atlantic, has become a transit point for cocaine shipments destined for Europe and Africa. The port of Montevideo and the extensive dry border with Brazil represent ongoing challenges for authorities, who must strengthen controls without affecting legitimate trade.
In this context, social organizations are calling for public policies that combine security with inclusion. They point out that without a comprehensive plan to address structural poverty, it will be difficult to halt the spread of drug trafficking. The discussion then moves to Parliament, where views on how to balance repression and prevention are challenged.
In short, drug trafficking in Uruguay remains a structural challenge.
