The Uruguayan government has sent to Parliament a bill to reform the Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP) that significantly expands the possibilities for early release, including for those convicted of serious offenses and sexual crimes. The initiative, presented by the administration of President Yamandú Orsi, aims to decongest the prison system and speed up judicial processes, according to the Executive. The National Rehabilitation Institute (INR) estimates that around 2,000 inmates — equivalent to 15% of the total prison population — could benefit from the measure if it is approved.
The text expressly excludes crimes against humanity, a correction made after initial criticism. Nevertheless, the left-wing opposition, led by the Broad Front (FA), is analyzing the bill with caution and has already stated that it will not support changes that grant benefits to repressors or those convicted of serious human rights violations. The discussion is taking place amid a heated debate on public security in the country.
While the government defends the reform as a more humane and efficient approach to the penal system, critics see it as a sign of excessive leniency. The measure goes against the tough-on-crime policies recently adopted in several countries in the region and rekindles fears that Uruguay, historically one of the most stable nations in Latin America, could lose ground in the fight against crime.
This path contrasts sharply with the only model that has shown concrete and lasting results in Latin America: that of El Salvador, implemented by President Nayib Bukele. There, the “mano dura” strategy — with mass arrests of more than 80,000 suspected gang members, a prolonged state of exception, and the construction of the largest prison in the Americas — transformed the country from one of the most violent in the world to the safest in the Western Hemisphere.
In 2015, El Salvador recorded 106 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. By 2025, the rate had fallen to 1.3, with more than a thousand days without murders during various phases of the security plan. Territorial control was regained, extortion plummeted, and the population celebrates peace in the streets — an achievement that no other country in the region has managed to replicate with the same effectiveness.
By choosing to relax penalties instead of toughening them, Uruguay is moving in the opposite direction of what has worked in El Salvador. Analysts question whether the reform will not pose a risk to the security gains achieved in recent years, especially in a continent still marked by organized violence. The bill is currently under review in the Legislature, where the debate is expected to be intense.