Weekly Report - 27 September 2018 (WR-18-38)

Not since Uruguay’s ruling left-wing Frente Amplio (FA) coalition came to power in 2005 have relations with the military been so strained. It was widely predicted that the FA, which comprises former Tupamaros guerrillas among its myriad factions, would have a fractious relationship with the military once in office, but for the most part this has not been borne out. Indeed, despite its congressional majority, the FA ultimately even stopped short of repealing the Ley de Caducidad amnesty law shielding the military from prosecution for human rights abuses during the dictatorship (1973-1985). But the current debate over the proposed reform of the military pension system, Caja Militar, is causing intense friction.