Presidency of Luis Lacalle Pou

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged within the first days of Lacalle Pou's presidency. The first four cases, all imported, were reported on 13 March.[19] On 14 March, Lacalle requested the cancellation of public performances, and the closure of some public places. An awareness campaign was launched and citizens were advised to stay home. A two-week suspension of classes at public and private schools was also announced.[20] On 16 March, Lacalle issued an order to close all border crossings except Carrasco International Airport.[21] The border with Argentina was closed effective 17 March at midnight.[22] On that day, the Ministry of Economy and Finance published a list of prices of products such as alcohol gel, rectified alcohol, and surgical masks, in order to prevent price gouging.[23][24]

Given the advance of the coronavirus around the world, many governments ordered the closure of borders and the cessation of airport operations and cancellations of commercial flights. Due to the Uruguayans being stranded abroad, the then Foreign Minister Ernesto Talvi ordered the operation "All at home" for the return of Uruguayans who were outside the national territory, who do not reside abroad and who planned to return to the country but could not by these restrictions.[25] In the course of this operation, at least 3,965 Uruguayans stranded in 67 countries returned.[26] In addition, the repatriation of foreigners stranded in Uruguay to their countries of origin was carried out.

On 8 April, he announced the reopening of rural schools on 22 April. It was also reported that the reopening would be in educational centers in the interior of the country, excluding those of Montevideo and Canelones; and that attendance would be voluntary.[27] It was 35% of the total registered.[28] On April, 17 he informed that his administration decided to create a group, made up of experts that would define methods and studies to advise the government. The experts would be: the mathematician, electrical engineer, and academic from the Latin American Academy of Sciences, Fernando Paganini; Dr. Rafael Radi, the first Uruguayan scientist at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and president of the National Academy of Sciences of Uruguay; and Dr. Henry Cohen, President of the National Academy of Medicine and awarded as a Master by the World Gastroenterology Organisation in 2019.[29]

On 29 May, Lacalle himself, along with the Secretary of the Presidency, the Minister of National Defense, his private secretary and the ASSE President began a quarantine while awaiting the test, after having contact with the director of the Ministry of Social Development in Rivera, who was infected with COVID-19.[30] A day later, after being tested, it was confirmed that neither he nor the other government officials had contracted the virus.[31]

As of December 2, given the increase in cases (especially in Montevideo), a series of temporary measures were put into effect to slow growth. Among them the closure of sports activities in gyms and closed places, the implementation of teleworking in public offices, closing of restaurants after midnight and the suspension of end-of-year parties.[32]

On December 16, due to the exponential growth of cases, the Executive Power announced a new set of measures: the regulation of Article 38 of the Constitution (the power of the executive power to dissolve agglomerations); the prohibition of entry from abroad between December 21 and January 10; the reduction of the capacity in interdepartmental transportation by half on those dates; the extension of the opening hours of shopping malls and street markets; the reopening of gyms (with a maximum capacity of 30%) and the suspension of public shows.[33]

On March 16, 2020, more than 1,000 soldiers of the Armed Forces were deployed to carry out the "Safe Border" operation, which consisted of patrolling the country's the 35,000 square kilometers of border defined to control, with the aim of combating insecurity, smuggling and drug trafficking.[34] The Air Force put its fleet of Cessna A-37 Dragonfly into operation to conduct "reconnaissance, patrol, and surveillance" of the Northeast, while the Navy deployed its personnel and equipment in border lakes and rivers.[35]

On September 8, the purchase of two Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Spanish Government was announced, for a price of 21 million euros and 1 million euros in spare parts.[36][37] The opposition criticized this purchase, describing it as an "inopportune expense".[38] The aircraft arrived in Uruguay on December 19, Defense Minister Javier García stated that "a process of modernization of essential equipment begins. With this incorporation there is more sovereignty, more human security and more civil protection."[39]

On December 22, 2020, the National Defense Council (CODENA) met for the first time.[40] Chaired by President Lacalle Pou, it is an advisory and consultative body that works on the drafting of a decree with the defense guidelines for the entire term.[41] The functions of the council are: to analyze threats that could harm the sovereignty and independence of the country, as well as seriously affect national interests; propose, in such cases, the measures or actions deemed necessary for its resolution; analyze and propose conflict hypotheses; suggest the adoption of strategies, approve the plans and coordinate the actions necessary for the defense, and make proposals on matters related to the defense that, because they affect various State agencies, require joint action.[41]

Law No. 19889 of urgent consideration, also called "Law of Urgent Consideration" or abbreviated as "LUC", is a law whose bill was announced by President Lacalle Pou during the campaign, which aims to lay the foundations of his administration. This law was the subject of intense political debate between the ruling party and the opposition:

• Modify legitimate defense in the Penal Code, increasing its concept and establishing new hypotheses in which legitimate defense is presumed.[42][43]
• Increase penalties for crimes related to drug trafficking and sexual violence in all its forms.[43]
• Punish for injury or damage to the police authorities.[42][43]
• Grant the right to carry arms of police and military personnel in both cases in retirement.[42]
• Limit the occupation of public spaces and "pickets".[42][43]
• Increase penalties for minor offenders.[42]
• Modify the organization of public education in primary, secondary, University of Labor of Uruguay (UTU) and teacher training, the Central Board of Directors (CODICEN) now concentrating the respective councils of each of these, which now become directories.[42]
• Modify the Financial Inclusion Law (LIF), passing workers to collect at option in cash and not necessarily by electronic means. In addition, the minimum amount from which an electronic means of payment must be established in the legal business is raised to one million indexed units.[42]
• Create the Ministry of Environment, one of the campaign promises of Luis Lacalle Pou's team.[42]
• Limit occupations of workplaces, guaranteeing the right of non-strikers to access and work, and that of employers to enter the facilities freely.[42]
• Establishes a commission for the reform of the social welfare system.[42]
• Guarantee the right to mobile number portability.[44]