Conflict at the Port of Montevideo: A union crisis or internal political conflict between the MPP and the Socialist Party?
The conflict at the Port of Montevideo is shaping up to be one of the most tense episodes in Uruguay's political and union scene in 2025. What began as a labor dispute between the port union and the Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP) company has erupted into accusations between sectors of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) and senators from the National Party, who attribute the conflict to an internal dispute between the Popular Participation Movement (MPP) and the Socialist Party (PS).
Origin of the union conflict in TCP
The conflict began with the implementation of the Navis N4 operating system at the Cuenca del Plata Terminal, operated mainly by the Belgian company Katoen Natie. The port union denounced that the new software automates tasks that could jeopardize jobs.
The union action included a strike that paralyzed more than 70% of the port's operations, generating millions in losses for exporters and transporters.
Implementation of Navis N4 software
Navis N4 replaced a system used since 2001. According to TCP, all employees received three years of training to adapt to the new software. The company maintains that the change does not affect workload or involve layoffs.
However, the union argues that automation should allow the work week to be reduced to six hours , while maintaining the corresponding eight-hour wage.
Union position and labor demands
The Single Port Union and Related Branches (SUPRA) maintains its position: the strike will not be lifted without guarantees. They rejected the Ministry of Labor to negotiate while the terminal is operating and are considering extending the measures to other ports in the country.
The union also drew criticism for citing a conversation with ChatGPT as an argument for productivity improvements, drawing ridicule from TCP.
Political accusations: Blancos vs. Frente Amplio
Senators from the National Party, such as Javier García and Sebastián Da Silva, maintain that the conflict has political overtones. García called the union "irrational" and accused it of "taking over the port."
Da Silva was more direct: "This is a mess between the Tupas and the Socialists," referring to the MPP and the PS. He noted that there were internal shifts within the National Port Administration (ANP) that reflect a struggle for institutional control.
Reaction of the Socialist Party
Senator Gustavo González of the Socialist Party (PS) denied that the conflict was partisan. He stated that he worked to summon both parties to the Senate Labor Affairs Committee and described the statements that delegitimize the union's demands as "disrespectful."
His most resonant phrase was: "Let them not dream of contradictions on the left, let them solve their problems, which are many and very large."
MPP movements in the ANP
According to press reports, the MPP managed to displace the PS from key positions at the Port of Montevideo in less than 90 days. Transport Minister Lucía Etcheverry requested the resignation of ANP Vice President Alejandra Koch for voting for a promotion for her socialist spouse.
Etcheverry promoted the appointment of Tany Mendiondo as vice president and kept Pablo Genta as president, consolidating the MPP's hegemony in the ANP.
Economic and commercial impact
The TCP strike directly affects Uruguayan foreign trade. Exporters report daily losses of up to $20 million, while transporters lose nearly $500,000 per day.
The situation is causing concern in the Executive Branch, which has called urgent meetings with the Ministers of Labor and Transportation to try to resolve the conflict.
What's behind the port conflict?
Beyond labor demands, the conflict at the Port of Montevideo reveals internal political tensions and disputes over institutional control. The combination of unionism, technological automation, and partisan struggles makes this episode an emblematic case of how labor and political interests intertwine in Uruguay .
Do you think the conflict at the port is due to legitimate union causes or to internal political disputes between sectors of the Broad Front?
