Uruguay: The only Civilized Latin Americans

Why, among all the South American teams, have you heard so little talk about Uruguay this summer? I’ll tell you why: Because they’re civilized. Uruguay is the first democracy of Latin America, the first country where women voted. Whenever they have a national conflict, they solve it by referendum. Even the flyers announcing illegal prostitution clubs have a polite note below: “Please do not throw this paper in the street. Use a trash can.”

But the problem with this attitude is that Uruguay, as a nation, lacks drama. And without drama there can be no euphoria. This organized, clean, and middle-class society encounters life with an extraordinarily peaceful spirit. If you’re a foreigner needing to work in Uruguay these days, they will calmly tell you not to call or visit any public institution during the soccer matches. And even though they had one day of national strike, neither the strike nor the World Cup created the sort of mass street demonstrations it would anywhere else in Latin America or even Spain. It’s all just part of life here, taken for granted like coffee or toilets.

Maybe this mellow-like syndrome is the consequence of being forced to live between Brazil and Argentina, the two giant, hysterical monsters of South America. Or maybe it’s the result of not having reached the second stage of any World Cup in twenty years. Or a little of both—having to live between Brazil and Argentina during the past twenty years, they’ve failed to advance.

You can feel the spirit of Uruguay in its star, Diego Forlan. Think about it: Messi plays for Barcelona; Kaka plays for Real Madrid. Forlan, on the other hand, plays for Atletico Madrid, the most important loser team in the world’s best soccer league. But with Forlan, even Atletico won a cup last spring, and an international one at that.

That is the Uruguayan style, that is how they beat Brazil in the heroic final match of the 1950 World Cup, and in the glorious Americas Cup during the 1990s. Everybody knows Uruguay is only so-so, but they fight, they run 20 km in each match, if necessary. They sweat like boxers and never give up. And sometimes it works.

So, during this last month, I’ve watched as Uruguayans in the streets of Montevideo have tried not to show too much emotion. They’re afraid of disappointment. When they needed just a tie against Mexico to qualify for the next round, they said: “That is good. We are specialists in ties.”

But deep down, you can sense that they want to go crazy now. With each match that they win, Uruguayans in bars and streets are acting more like believers. The indifference of the first days is being replaced by a trembling of the legs, a little sweating over the eyebrows. Hearts are beating faster. Sometimes you can even hear a shout ring out. If Uruguay gets into the finals, it will be their best performance since 1950. But, still, they’re trying not to show off.

Santiago Roncagliolo, the author of Red April (Pantheon), is a Peruvian novelist who has spent the past month in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Foreign buyers eye Uruguayan land

Foreigners are buying up Uruguayan land at a fast pace.

Between 2000 and 2006, overseas buyers snapped up a quarter of Uruguayan territory, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Agriculture.

And real estate analysts believe there is no end in sight to this trend.

"Foreigners, especially Argentines and Europeans, are showing a strong interest in Uruguay," said Lucia Canepa, a real estate operator.

So why is this South American country, sandwiched between Argentina, Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean, so attractive to foreign investors?

"Uruguay is a small area in the broader region where buyers find better prices and political and economic stability," said Eduardo Caldeyro from Caldeyro-Stajano, a land sales broker.

"Curiously enough, for the first time we are receiving enquiries from Americans; within South America we get calls from Argentines, Brazilians and a few Colombians. From Europe, it is mostly Spanish real estate investors, who are facing a sharp slowdown there."

Sovereignty

The government, which is actively encouraging foreign investment, is nonetheless worried.
Ernesto Agazzi, the agriculture minister, wants parliament to consider a ban on land sales along the borders with Argentina and Brazil to non-resident foreigners.

"This is to preserve our sovereignty, to avoid smugglers holding land on both sides of the border (…) and to prevent foot-and-mouth disease from entering the country".
"We all know that Brazilian farmers have lands on both sides, and nobody controls movement on that border," Mr Agazzi told Uruguayan media.
Uruguay uses vaccines to stay free from foot-and-mouth free but struggles to maintain this status every time there is an outbreak in the region.
During the last episode, in Brazil in 2005, Uruguayan cattle escaped infection, thus ensuring beef remained Uruguay's top export.
Other politicians believe there is another reason to regulate land sales.
"The land belongs to our grandchildren. We depend on it for our future food supply," said Jorge Saravia, senator and member of the left-wing Broad Front, the governing party. He believes the country needs to limit land sales in order "to avoid losing our sovereignty".
The agribusiness community sees matters differently. "Our country needs foreign investment. It would be silly to limit it based on ridiculous nationalism," said Eduardo Preve, an agribusiness consultant.

Argentine crisis

Uruguay, whose main exports include beef and grains, has benefited from the rise in commodity prices.
The dispute between the government and farmers in neighbouring Argentina, which dragged on for more than 100 days, has brought gains to Uruguay.
"We are filling gaps in international markets where Argentina failed to deliver", says Octacilio Echenagusia, president of the Rural Federation, the largest farmers' organisation.
"I would hate to think that if they lose we gain, but this is what has happened with beef exports: Uruguay is selling more beef, filling in for Argentina.
" Last March, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner raised taxes on food exports, triggering nationwide strikes and roadblocks.
The Argentine Congress must now debate the contentious export tax increases, but some farmers have warned that they will resume the roadblocks should Congress ratify the tax rises.
For some Argentine agricultural producers, shifting at least a portion of their production to Uruguay seems a sensible way of increasing profits and avoiding export taxes.
"We are receiving more and more inquiries from Argentine investors and producers who want to buy land, in search of risk diversification and fiscal certainty," says Ms Canepa.
Lower taxes are not the only reason - agricultural land sells for an average of $2,000 (£1,000) per hectare in Uruguay compared with up to $10,000 in Argentina.

Boom time

An increasingly popular alternative to buying land is to lease it.
Argentine group Ceres Tolbas has been producing wheat, soy, maize, barley and sorghum in Uruguay for two years.
"Most big Argentine companies are already producing here, financed by European and American funds," says Ceres Toblas's local representative, Santiago Bono. His firm leases land and develops partnerships with local landowners, providing agricultural supplies, training and professional management.
"It is quite difficult for us because landowners are not deeply involved in the agricultural business. They are not up to date with the latest technologies. We start by renting their land and once we get to know them better we can develop businesses together."
For all the disagreement on limiting land sales, there is one thing everyone involved can agree on.
"We are experiencing an agricultural boom," says Mr Echenagusia, "and it looks like it is going to continue this way."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7469731.stm

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An expat account of ... Life in Uruguay

I love Latin America. After graduating from college, I sailed from Texas to Guatemala, and basically never came home. I am 39, and I have been in this part of the world for 14 years now, which means I have spent more than a third of my life here. I have lived in Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, and now Uruguay. I have traveled to almost every country in the region, and I know Latin America better than any gringo I’ve met. Probably because I am married to a Colombian, and I have been on the frontlines fighting it out as an entrepreneur every since I arrived.
Why do I love Latin America? In Ecuador it is the dramatic landscapes; 20,000-foot peaks. In Brazil it is the energy—it’s hard to imagine a place where people have more fun. In Mexico it is the food. In Nicaragua it’s Flor de Cana, the local rum.
In the early years I think my fascination with Latin America was the fact that it is not all served up in a neat little package. It is a little dirty…rough around the edges…real. That gritty reality makes you feel alive. But it also has a shady side that can sometimes be difficult for gringos cope with, myself included.
Probably the most frustrating thing about daily life in Latin America is that Latinos—who in general find it hard to admit in public they are wrong—will lie to save face, often in situations we gringos would find absurd or trivial…where it makes no sense to lie. It’s their way of smoothing things over any time someone does not meet a commitment.
Another annoyance is the culture of bribery that remains alive and well in Latin America—it’s an art that must be learned to survive. With cops it is protocol. The key is to be polite, use phases like jefecito (meaning affectionately the boss man), and always negotiate. The good news is that normal traffic violations are cheap, and generally, cops will accept a fraction of what they ask for, depending on the offense.
My personal stories of the hard lessons would be comical if they had not happened to me. In honesty, I can already laugh about most of them, but at the time they were not easy at all. I had my car stolen, the taxi driver overcharged me, I was pick pocketed on a bus, and I had my first business swindled out from under me.
After a decade or so of living in Latin America, I was beginning to wonder if it was time to pack my bags and return to Texas.

And then I found Uruguay!

Uruguay is the kind of place that is impossible not to like. From the moment of arrival you notice a huge difference. The lack of security and armed guards…the cleanliness of everything…the modern infrastructure.
A few days into your trip, you gets a sense that the Uruguayans are living in a different time, a simpler time…it feel like how I imagine it was like in the 50s in the U.S. Families playing in the park. No beggars on the streets. The worlds last utopia.
Uruguay is a middle class country, so poverty is not a big part of the equation. I don’t know why or how it happened, but the wealth of the country is spread fairly evenly throughout the population. There is no feeling of desperation that a division of wealth creates.
Honor is alive and well. If a Uruguayan says something, you can count it. They can even be a little too strait-laced. I have been scolded on more than one occasion for not following the rules.
I must admit, I have bribed traffic cops in Uruguay. Like everywhere else, cops are not paid well. But I think in offering the bribe, Icorrupted them. My Uruguayan friends tell me they would never bribe a police officer, and wouldn’t know how.
Uruguayans complain things have changed. Ten years ago they slept with the doors unlocked. That may be true, but I dare say it has been 50 years since Americans slept with the doors open. The only crime I know about in Uruguay is the occasional pick pocketing in the tourist section of Montevideo (Ciudad Vieja). Theft is practically unheard of in the rest of the country.
So thanks to Uruguay, I still love Latin America, even the rougher parts, if only for a visit.
Tip: The hard part of bribing government officials and politicians is knowing when and who to bribe. Generally, when everything is done by the book, but for some reason the permit keeps getting held up, a bribe may be necessary. And it’s likely everyone from the clerk to the President will want something, so aim high. You will get things done much quicker that way.

http://www.olauruguay.com/2009/02/26/an-expat-account-of-life-in-uruguay

Good for Uruguay

When you arrive in Uruguay the first thing you’ll notice—on top of the natural beauty of the land—is it has a certain sophisticated, yet laid-back, relaxed vibe. If you’ve been to Uruguay, you’ll know the feeling.
Some say it’s the result of a docile climate—no snowstorms, earthquakes, hurricanes or other outbursts of the angry Gods.
It could be the modern approach of respect for all religions that’s been in place here for years. Many years ago, Uruguay separated church and state and opened their arms to peoples of all creeds, decreeing that no one would “Lord” it over another—so although all religions are respected, there is no official one, nor is there a religious presence in the state (secular) schools.
They even refer to Easter week as Tourism Week. One wonderful Jewish international lawyer commented to me the other day, “Uruguay is the most morally tolerant country in the world. There has never been an instance of anti-Semitism and it’s the only country I know of where the president announced on National Television that he was an agnostic.
” Maybe it’s the humble, friendly people that contribute to the laid-back vibe here. Uruguayans never tend to show-off. They say the difference between a Uruguayan and Argentine in Punta del Este is that the former own a house smaller than they can afford, while the Argentine has a much bigger one.
In fact the current president, Tabare Vazquez and the former three presidents, Batlle, Sanguinetti, and Lacalle are all well educated, well informed, they all speak excellent French or English, and in general the type of person one would love to have at an interesting dinner party or international gathering of movers and shakers.
Sarmiento, the famous educator and patriot of Argentina once said “you can judge the degree of civilization of a people by the social position of women”. Well women didn’t have to burn their bras in Uruguay to gain attention for their rights. They were granted the unilateral right to divorce without the necessity of giving a reason in 1908 and voting rights in 1917 (before the USA). Women, to put it bluntly, have pretty much ruled the roost ever since.
Right now, women head the Ministries of Defence, Public Safety (police), Culture and Education, and Health. Also noteworthy is that in the free educational system’s two favorite disciplines, law and medicine, one third more women than men graduate (with more graduates percentage-wise than Italy or Japan). The frosting on the cake is that Uruguayan women are not even aware of how lucky they are compared to other women around the world nor are the men resentful.

http://www.olauruguay.com/2009/03/27/feel-good-uruguay

Good things to do in Uruguay

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite things to do in Uruguay below…

1. Take a walking tour around Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo
The old city of Montevideo unites the city’s past and present, with ancient city walls and historical buildings alongside pubs, design studios, bookstores, and antique shops. The best way to see Ciudad Vieja is by foot—you can either wander about, just you and your map, or take an organized guided tour. Sites not to be missed include Plaza Independencia and Puerta de la Ciudadela; Solis Theatre; Sarandi Pedestrian Street and Matriz Square (every Saturday, street artists, craftsmen, and antiquarians gather here to entertain and sell antiques and crafts); Zabala Square; and El Mercado del Puerto.

2. Take a trip to Cabo Polonio
Cabo Polonio is a remote and small, but beautifully picturesque fishing village about 150 miles east of Montevideo. A sea lion colony is found alongside the old lighthouse that dominates the otherwise low-rise skyline. The primary activities here are relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. Cabo Polonio’s official tourism website is: www.portaldelcabo.com.uy.
3. Get caught up in the Carnaval in Montevideo
The Carnaval in Montevideo is the longest-running carnaval in the world and includes lots of food stands, street performers, and comedy shows. The two main events are the Llamada de las Comparsas, a parade of Afrodescendents (comparsa) dressed up in costume, and dancing to music that combines the tango with African beats; and the Murgas, a group of satirists who use a musical-type show as a medium to poke fun at current social and political events…all in good fun.

4. Take a plunge at the hot springs in Salto
After a long day of site seeing, wandering around the markets, or even hardcore hiking, the best way to relax and recover your well-being is to take a dip in one of Uruguay’s therapeutic thermal springs. In the department of Salto in the northwest region you’ll find an extensive choice of hot springs with high curative properties at a variety of prices. The tourist office in the centre of Salto City (a block west of the main square on Calle Uruguay) will recommend one in your price range.

5. Take a stroll in Colonia del Sacramento
The oldest town in Uruguay, Colonia del Sacramento lies on the banks of Río de la Plata, just across the water from Buenos Aires. It is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Latin America, and its historic quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its narrow cobblestones streets, eye-catching architecture, and well-kept parks make for a pleasant day of strolling and relaxing.

6. Take a tannat wine tour
The tannat grape was introduced to Uruguay in 1870 and is now the most prominent grape in Uruguay, representing a third of the countries wine produce. A great way to discover all the wonders of a Uruguayan vineyard, and the winemaking process, is to take a tour to one of the many tannat wineries.
(www.juanico.com).

7. Take an ecotour
With miles and miles of unspoiled coastline, diverse rainforests, and vast stretches of rolling grasslands, ecotourism is taken very seriously in Uruguay. You can stay at a lodge and experience the gaucho way of life, go hiking, bird watching, or fresh water or coastal fishing. www.uruguay-ecotours.com run an action-packed 11-day eco-tour departing from Montevideo. You can find the itinerary on their website.

8. Play nine holes at one of Uruguay’s first class golf courses
Uruguay’s year-round temperate climate makes it a popular golfing destination. There are lots of first-class courses and many don’t require you to become a member to play. Non-members can play at Punta Carretas Golf Course in Montevideo for free on Mondays.

9. Take a lesson in kite surfing
With so many beautiful beaches, it’s no surprise that kite surfing is a growing sport in Uruguay. (In kite surfing, the power of the wind in a kite is harnessed to pull a surfer across the surface of the sea.) If this sounds like fun, or you are feeling adventurous, Seawind (website: www.kitesurf.com.uy; e-mail:kite@kitesurf.com.uy) offers courses by qualified professional trainers. All equipment and safety gear is provided.

10. Tango the night away
Don’t leave Uruguay without visiting one of its tango bars. Tango clubs abound in Uruguay, and in particular in Montevideo, where singing and dancing can go on into the early hours.

Laptop for every pupil in Uruguay

Uruguay has joined the small number of nations providing a laptop for every child attending state primary school.

President Tabaré Vázquez presented the final XO model laptops to pupils at a school in Montevideo on 13 October.
Over the last two years 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers have been involved in the scheme.
The "Plan Ceibal" (Education Connect) project has allowed many families access to the world of computers and the internet for the first time.
Uruguay is part of the One Laptop Per Child scheme, an organisation set up by internet pioneer Nicholas Negroponte. His original vision was to provide laptops at $100 (£61) but they proved more expensive.
The Uruguay programme has cost the state $260 (£159) per child, including maintenance costs, equipment repairs, training for the teachers and internet connection.
The total figure represents less than 5% of the country's education budget. Around 70% of the XO model laptops handed out by the government were given to children who did not have computers at home. "This is not simply the handing out of laptops or an education programme. It is a programme which seeks to reduce the gap between the digital world and the world of knowledge," explained Miguel Brechner, director of the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay and in charge of Plan Ceibal.
In a similar project, every child in the tiny South Pacific nation of Niue has an OLPC laptop. In 2008, Portugal committed to giving Intel Classmate laptops to every six-10 year old in the country.

"A revolution"
In the run up to Uruguay's general election on 25 October, the project is being promoted as an achievement of the Tabaré Vázquez government.
"It's been a revolution, which has helped us enormously, but it hasn't been easy," explained Lourdes Bardino, head teacher of School 173 in Las Piedras.
Ms Bardino said that some teachers were originally opposed to the introduction of the XO laptops. "We have a lady who's been teaching for 30 years and when they gave us the computers and the training, she asked for leave because she didn't want to have anything to do with the programme. Later she changed her mind and now computers have changed the way she teaches." All the teachers have been given training, but the extent to which they use the laptops in the classroom is up to them.
Research carried out recently by the State Education authorities revealed that some teachers have chosen not to include computer-related work in their lesson plans.

Costs and criticisms
The laptops have an open source Linux operating system with a user interface called Sugar. It has attracted some criticism from detractors for not being mainstream.
However Mr Brechner believes that children should learn computer skills regardless of the software available. Blind children were being taught on a Microsoft Windows operating system, he said.
The annual cost of maintaining the programme, including an information portal for pupils and teachers, will be US$21 (£13) per child.
The future “ Its a culture shock scenario - many countries are simply too scared to put it into practice ”
Miguell Brechner, head of Plan Ceibal Now that all the schoolchildren have their computers, the authorities say that they will endeavour keep the schools connected, particularly those in rural areas, where many still do not have internet access.
There are plans to extend the scheme to secondary schools and pre-school children next year. Organisers of the Plan Ceibal have set up a consultancy in order to advise other countries wishing to replicate the Uruguayan experience.
Mr Brechner said that Rwanda, Haiti, El Salvador, Paraguay, some provinces in Argentina and Colombia have been in touch although they have not yet decided to contract their services. "We would help them with tenders, planning, evaluation, which software to use, how to spread the word, training, all the "know how" we have developed. We don't have a manual. It´s a culture shock scenario - many countries are simply too scared to put it into practice."

Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/8309583.stm

Uruguay, has been and will continue to be, a secure investment

Newly elected President Jose “Pepe” Mujica and Vice-President (and out-going minister of finance), Danilo Astori have pledged to carry on the successful investor-friendly policies of their predecessor Tabaré Vázquez. In an interview with Montevideo’s Channel 10, Mr. Astori assured the nation of his commitment to expanding the successes of the current government. “I am dedicated to working with the economic team, which will basically be the same one as the current government,” he said. Mujica was elected president of Uruguay after defeating ex-President Luis Alberto Lacalle in Sunday’s elections by nearly 10 percent, a margin larger than most had predicted. Mr. Mujica, the candidate for the ruling Frente Amplio, or Broad Front, coalition, received more votes than had been received by any previous president. Out-going president Vázquez, who is also a member of the Frente Amplio, has been widely credited for improving Uruguay’s economic conditions by encouraging inward investment. The Vázquez administration generated confidence among investors and nearly quadrupled the central bank reserves to almost $7.9 billion. As of September 2009, unemployment rates had fallen by nearly 5% to 7.3%. In a pre-election rally in June, Mr. Mujica implored national and international investors to continue to “bet on Uruguay” citing his party’s documented success in doing business with the world. His running mate, Mr. Astori, will take charge of Uruguay’s $32 billion economy and like Mujica, has promised economic continuity. Mr. Astori’s button-down policies are often cited as the counter-balance to Mujica’s more populist ways, but Mujica too carries something fundamental to a nation whose economy is predominately based in agricultural: he himself is a farmer, and an ex-Minister of Agriculture. As reported in the national newspaper La Republica, an Argentine business man, who owns more than 30 thousand hectares of land in Uruguay, and one of the largest plantations in the country, said he would multiply his investments in land and infrastructure under a Mujica government. Moreover, he believed a potential Mujica victory would further ensure a stable economic climate in Uruguay, favorable for long-term investments. Along with high levels of legal and business transparency, Uruguay also boasts an educated and qualified workforce, a low cost of living, excellent telecommunications infrastructure, as well as lucrative agricultural and forestry industries. Moreover, Uruguay is protected by one of the world’s tightest banking secrecy regulations whereby banks cannot share information with any party, including the government of Uruguay, or the government of any country for that matter. The democratic election of Mr. Mujica and Mr. Astori is just one of many reasons why Uruguay has been, and will continue to be, a secure investment.

http://www.olauruguay.com/2009/12/05/newly-elected-mujica-and-astori-to-continue-the-economic-policy-of-tabare