President of Uruguay

For a list, see List of presidents of Uruguay.

President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Presidente de la República Oriental del Uruguay
Uruguayan coat of arms
Incumbent Yamandú Orsi since 1 March 2025
Style	Mr. President (spoken) President of the Republic (official)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Residence	Residencia de Suárez
Seat	Executive Tower, Montevideo
Appointer	Direct Popular Vote (two rounds if necessary)
Term length	Five years, renewable non consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Uruguay (1830)
Inaugural holder	Fructuoso Rivera
Formation	November 6, 1830 (195 years ago) (1830-11-06)
Deputy	Vice President of Uruguay
Salary	$U403,242/US$ 10,339 per month [1]
Website	presidencia.gub.uy

The president of Uruguay (Spanish : presidente de Uruguay), officially known as the president of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (presidente de la República Oriental del Uruguay), is the head of state and head of government of Uruguay. The president presides over the Council of Ministers, directing the executive branch of the national government, and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Uruguay. ^[2]

The rights and powers of the presidency are determined in the Constitution of the Republic. Along with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the president is part of the executive branch. In case of absence, their office is exercised by the vice president. In turn, the president of the republic is the commander in chief of the Armed Forces.

Since 1835, by the constitution of Uruguay, the president's term has begun and ended on 1 March.

Features of the office

Requirements

The Constitution amendment establishes the requirements for becoming president. Article 151 establishes that the president must be a natural-born citizen of the country, or have been born to a Uruguayan citizen if born abroad. The president must also be at least 35 years old and be registered in the National Civic Registry. ^[3]

Election

According to the current constitution, Constitution of Uruguay of 1967 or Constitution of Uruguay of 1997, the president is elected by direct popular vote for a term of five years. A person may be reelected to the presidency any number of times, but is ineligible for immediate reelection. ^[4] The president and vice president run on a single ticket submitted by their party. In case no candidate obtains an absolute majority of votes (50%+1), a runoff is held between the top two candidates. In this case, the candidate who obtains a plurality in the runoff wins the election.

Powers and duties

According to Article 168 of the Constitution, the president, acting with the respective minister or ministers, or the Council of Ministers, includes, is assigned:

1. The preservation of order and tranquility within and security without.
2. The command of all armed forces.
3. The promulgation of all laws, issuing special regulations necessary for its implementation.
4. The delivery, to the General Assembly of Uruguay at the opening of regular sessions, the state of the Republic address.
5. The right to veto laws he dislikes.
6. The right to propose bills or amendments to laws previously enacted.
7. The dismissal of public employees for misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance.
8. Management of diplomatic relations and, with consent of the legislature, the right to declare war.
9. The right to declare a state of emergency when needed.
10. The preparation of the state budget.
11. Negotiation of treaties with the ratification of the legislature.

Succession

Main article: Uruguayan presidential line of succession

Article 153 of the Constitution establishes that in the event of absence, resignation, cessation, or death of the president and vice president, the Presidency of the Republic shall be assumed by the first titular senator of the list most voted for of the political party by which they were elected. ^[3]

Residence

The Suárez Residence in Montevideo is the official residence of the president. The site was acquired by Adelina Lerena de Fein at auction, and the construction of a three-storey house by the young architect Juan María Aubriot, was ordered by Fein Lerena family. In 1925, the young Luis Batlle Berres and Matilde Ibáñez Tálice met while walking in front of this property. Soon after they were married. In 1947, Luis Batlle Berres was already head of state, and at the suggestion of his spouse they chose this mansion as their official residence. ^[5]

The Anchorena Presidential Estate is the president's country residence. Located in the Colonia Department, 208 kilometers from Montevideo, is the result of the legacy of the aristocrat Aarón de Anchorena who gave about 1,369 hectares of his estate to the Uruguayan State. The mansion combines the Norman and Tudor styles. ^[6]

The president also has the use of a mansion in Punta del Este, which is called "Woodland’s," and serves as a vacation residence. It was donated to the Uruguayan State by the Argentine businessman Mauricio Litman. ^[7]

• Presidential residences
• 
  Residencia de Suárez, the official residence
• 
  Anchorena Presidential Estate, the official retreat

Post-presidency

• Several presidents take part in important events as lecturers, both at local and international level.
• Many presidents are prolific authors, about political affairs or other topics of their interest, such as history or arts.

Honors

Territorial entities

• Flores Department.
• Rivera Department.
• Baltasar Brum, Artigas Department.
• Joaquín Suárez, Canelones Department.
• José Batlle y Ordóñez, Lavalleja Department.
• Tomás Gomensoro, Artigas Department.

Public spaces

As a general rule, regulations do not allow public spaces or works to be named after living former presidents or any other person who has not previously died, and only after a period of time that may vary depending on the location within the territory.

• Several squares, parks, roads and streets throughout the country are named after former leaders.
• The only heads of state from the 19th century who have not been honoured in this way are Juan Idiarte Borda and Duncan Stewart.
• After Óscar Gestido, no deceased 20th-century heads of state have been honoured with their names on streets or other public places.
• Several national routes are named after presidents:
  • Route 1, Manuel Oribe;
  • Route 5, Fructuoso Rivera;
  • Route 6, Joaquín Suárez;
  • Route 11, José Batlle y Ordóñez (except for the section from km 163.500 and the intersection with the Ruta Interbalnearia);
  • Route 14, Venancio Flores;
  • Route 19, Lorenzo Latorre (section between Route 14 and Route 6).

Buildings

• Máximo Santos had his lavish residence built in the center of Montevideo, which later passed to the State. It is currently occupied by the Foreign Office. Both the building and, by extension, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are known as the Santos Palace.
• Several schools all over the country bear the names of presidents.

Trivia

• As of 20 January 2026, no female politician has been elected to the office of President of Uruguay. However, there was one woman, Patricia Ayala (born 25 August 25 1966), who served as interim president for just three days in June 2018. ^[8]
• As of 20 January 2026, no openly LGBTQ person has ever held office as President.
• Máximo Tajes (23 November 1852 – 21 November 1912) was the youngest president when sworn in, being 33 years, 11 months and 26 days old. Currently, this would not longer be possible, given that the current Constitution requires a minimum age of 35 years.
• When he was inaugurated for his second term, Tabaré Vázquez (17 January 1940 – 6 December 2020) was the oldest president to be sworn in, being 75 years, 1 month and 12 days.
• Luis Lacalle Pou (born 11 August 1973) was the first president to be elected alongside a female vice president, Beatriz Argimón (born 14 August 1961).
• Gabriel Antonio Pereira (17 March 1794 – 14 April 1861) was the last president born in the 18th century.
• Atanasio Cruz Aguirre (2 June 1801 - 28 September 1875) was the first president born in the 19th century.
• José Eugenio Ellauri (15 November 1834 – 27 December 1894) was the first president born after the Declaration of Independence, the Preliminary Peace Convention and the swearing in of the Constitution. In short, he was the first president born in independent Uruguay.
• Luis Batlle Berres (26 November 1897 – 15 July 1964) was the last president born in the 19th century.
• Óscar Diego Gestido (28 November 1901 - 6 December 1967) was the first president born in the 20th century.
• Tomás Gomensoro (27 January 1810 – 12 April 1900) was the first president who died in the 20th century.
• As of 20 January 2026, Luis Lacalle Pou was the last president born in the 20th century.
• Jorge Pacheco Areco (9 April 1920 - 29 July 1998) was the last president who died in the 20th century.
• Jorge Batlle Ibáñez (25 October 1927 - 24 October 2016) was the first president to die in the 21st century.
• As of 20 January 2026, Juan Idiarte Borda (20 April 1844 – 25 August 1897) has been the only president to be assassinated while in office. Further, he was the first president to die in office; and also, the last to pass away in the 19th century.
• Lorenzo Batlle y Grau (10 August 1810 – 8 May 1887) has been the only president with descendants from three successive generations who have been inaugurated as heads of state: his son José Batlle y Ordóñez (23 May 1856 – 20 October 1929), his grandson Luis Batlle Berres and his great-grandson Jorge Batlle Ibáñez.
• When Luis Lacalle Pou was sworn in as president on 1 March 2020, for the first time a former president (Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera, born 13 July 1941) was alive to see his own son take office. Furthermore, since Luis Lacalle Pou completed his term, for the first time there are two former presidents, father and son, who are both still alive, (to date, 10 months and 19 days).
• Juan María Bordaberry (17 June 1928 – 17 July 2011) was the longest-living former president after leaving office (35 years, 1 month and 5 days); having governed between 1972 and 1976, he died at the age of 83 years and 1 month.
• Luis Batlle Berres was the first vice president to assume the presidency following the death of a president, after Tomás Berreta died in 1947. The last was Jorge Pacheco Areco after the death of Óscar Diego Gestido in 1967.
• José Serrato (30 September 1868 – 7 September 1960) was the longest-living president, dying at the age of 91 years, 11 months and 8 days.
• Máximo Santos (15 April 1847 – 19 May 1889) was the youngest president to die, at just 42 years, 1 month and 4 days of age.
• Over the course of 75 years, there have been a series of self-coups by presidents:
  • Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (10 February 1898), ^[9]
  • Gabriel Terra (31 March 1933), ^[10]
  • Alfredo Baldomir (21 February 1942), ^[11]
  • Juan María Bordaberry (27 June 1973). ^[12]
• Joaquín Suárez (18 August 1781 – 26 December 1868) was the longest-ruling president (7 years, 11 months and 14 days).
• Excluding acting presidents, there were 11 military officers (one of them was also an architect), 14 lawyers, 1 engineer, 1 pharmaceutical chemist, 1 physician and 1 history teacher. The remaining presidents had several backgrounds, including agriculture, cattle breeding, journalism, commerce, banking, and some served only in politics.

See also

• History of Uruguay
• Politics of Uruguay
• List of presidents of Uruguay

References

1. "Identificacion - Lacalle Pou" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2020.
2. "Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Artículo 149". www.impo.com.uy. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
3. "Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay". www.impo.com.uy. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
4. "Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay". www.impo.com.uy. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
5. "Diario EL PAIS – Montevideo – Uruguay". historico.elpais.com.uy. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
6. "Bush se reúne en Uruguay con el primer presidente de izquierdas del país | elmundo.es". www.elmundo.es. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
7. "La historia de la residencia presidencial de Punta del Este, donada al Estado a fines de los 40' por un empresario argentino". Teledoce.com (in Spanish). 17 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
8. El Observador (2 June 2018). "La emoción del niño que contará que su madre fue presidenta" (in Spanish). Uruguay. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
9. "URUGUAY UNDER A DICTATOR.; Senor Cuestas Executes a Coup d'Etat and Dissolves the Assembly". The New York Times . 11 February 1898.
10. "The March Revolution in Uruguay 1933". Armed Conflict Events Data.
11. "El barro de la historia - El golpe de 1942". sites.google.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
12. Kaufman, Edy. Uruguay in Transition: From Civilian to Military Rule. Transaction Publishers. ISBN   978-1-4128-4084-2.

External links

• Politics Data Bank at the Social Sciences School – Universidad de la República (Uruguay)