The World Today
What kind of country are you if you know there are more than 400 people living in inhumane conditions, working like slaves on a public works project, and no one does anything?
That's exactly what's happening in Chamberlain, Tacuarembó , as part of the construction of the 500 kV energy ring , financed by UTE and executed by the Chinese CMEC this isn't a story of distant abuse. It's an accusation that goes to the heart of the country's political, union, and business systems.
1. What's happening in Chamberlain? State work, royal slavery
At this key project for the national energy system, more than 400 Chinese citizens are working without papers, without rights, without awards, and living crammed into containers . They are isolated in small farms, far from the village, without access to healthcare, rest, or even basic dignity.
They sleep 15 abreast on beds made of wooden planks. They cook rice. And if they have an accident, they're not taken to any medical center . They're taken out hidden in trucks, as if they were garbage. And you know the worst part? Not a single government agency has stopped this.
2. SUNCA's role: does it defend or deliver?
SUNCA , the union that boasts of being on the side of the workers, is completely implicated in this scandal - file delegates raised alarms, denounced, and knocked on doors. But when these accusations reached the union's National Directorate, everything was squashed .
Why? Because SUNCA signed agreements with the company . It validated payments outside of paychecks. It allowed skilled Uruguayan workers, chosen by lottery from the Ministry of Labor, to be fired, leaving their place to silent, cheap slave labor.
3. UTE and CMEC: financial and executing officers
The project is financed with state funds through a trust fund of more than 800 million indexed units . UTE appears as the trustee, along with República FISA. On paper, everything sounds transparent. But in reality, the money is used to pay undeclared salaries , to buy union silence, and to execute a project with 80% foreign labor (when it was promised that it would be national).
The documents—signed deeds—confirm it: payments outside the receipt, without contributions, without declarations, for sums exceeding one and a half million dollars.
4. Tax evasion: a scam against the State
The workers who were transported hundreds of kilometers were not paid their travel expenses as required by law. When they complained, the company paid outside the scope of the payment, without declaring it. The result? Tax evasion, social security fraud, and union complicity. All documented and signed .
Who wins? CMEC, which reduces costs. Who loses? You, the State, national workers, the BPS, and the dignity of work in Uruguay.
5. Electoral fraud with false ballots?
The accusation doesn't end there. According to the source, SUNCA and sectors of the Broad Front, with the approval of the Ministry of Labor, are reportedly issuing identity cards to undocumented Chinese citizens . The goal? To turn them into captive voters in the upcoming elections.
It's not an invention. It was already done at UPM. And it's very likely it's been repeated in this project. You want to talk about democracy? Then let's talk about that too.
6. And the Uruguayans? Capable of being thrown out
Meanwhile, the 15 Uruguayan assembly officers who do have training and who entered the workforce through legal means are being dismissed . The excuse? They're being trained. The reality: they're already on the layoff list.
They train you to fire you. Because once the course ends, there are 400 Chinese workers ready to replace you. Cheaper. More obedient. More invisible.
7. And the Ministry of Labor?
Silence. Inaction. Complicity. The ministry has received complaints. There are more than 100 open cases for security conditions, evasion, and irregularities. But nothing moves forward. Everything grinds to a halt. Because the machinery is designed to sustain the business. The business of modern slavery, financed with your money.
