History History

In response to the restrictions imposed by Napoleon Bonaparte following the battle of Trafalgar, Great Britain sought to expand its commercial activities overseas. It then launched two expeditions with the aim of occupying both Buenos Aires and Montevideo. On July 7, 1807, after suffering two consecutive defeats, the British troops admitted defeat and abandoned the La Plata region.

Between May 18 and 25, a series of revolutionary events led to the replacement of the Spanish viceroy Hidalgo de Cisneros, who was replaced by the first junta led by a sector of criollos (children of Spanish parents born in America) from Buenos Aires.

On February 28, 1811, the revolutionaries Pedro José Viera and Venancio Benavídez, encouraged by their victory against the United Kingdom and the weakening of Spain by the Napoleonic invasion, called on the population to rebel against the Spanish colonial authorities. This episode is considered the beginning of the Eastern Revolution.

Vieira and Benavídez obtained the support of José Gervasio Artigas, who published the Proclamation of Mercedes, in which he announced that the government of the United Provinces would send arms, ammunition and three thousand men, calling for the revolution.

José Gervasio Artigas Arnal is Uruguay's national hero and one of the most important military leaders in South American history. Known as "the father of the Uruguayan nation," he played a central role in the struggles for independence from Spain in the early ^19th century. Born in Montevideo, then a Spanish colony, he grew up in a wealthy family and received a formal education at the convent of San Bernadino. During his youth, he enlisted in the colonial militia where he was involved in several military operations against British and Portuguese forces. After Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808, the South American independence movement gained in intensity. In 1810, Artigas joined the revolutionary soldiers led by the Junta de Buenos Aires to fight for the independence of the provinces of the River Plate. He quickly established himself as a prominent military leader and led several victorious campaigns against the Iberian troops. Over time, Artigas developed his own vision for the future of the provinces of the Río de la Plata, advocating a federalist system in which the provinces would have considerable autonomy while being united under a central authority. In 1815, he created the Liga Federal (Federal League) to promote provincial independence and resist the centralizing influence of Buenos Aires. However, internal conflicts and regional rivalries weakened the league, and in 1820 Portuguese forces invaded the Banda Oriental, forcing Artigas into exile. He found refuge in Paraguay, where he lived in exile until his death in 1850. Although his aspirations to establish a federalist system in the region failed, Artigas remains a leading figure in the country's democracy and a major national symbol.

Artigas and his troops fought the royalists led by José Posadas, and managed to regain control of the Banda Oriental from the Spaniards, who had to retreat to Montevideo. A famous painting by Juan Luis Blanes depicting this Spanish defeat is on display at the National Historical Museum.

The Portuguese crown invaded the Banda Oriental and besieged Montevideo. Artigas and his patriots evacuated the eastern territory to the right bank of the Uruguay River, on the Argentine side. They remained there until 1813.

In 1815, Artigas created the Federal League, also known as the Union of Free People. This project aimed to unite a number of Argentine, Brazilian and, in the near future, Uruguayan provinces under a common authority and free internal trade.

The Portuguese occupied Montevideo again until the annexation of the Banda Oriental as the Brazilian province of Ciplastina. On January 22, 1820, the battle of Tacuarembó between Artigas' troops and the Portuguese resulted in the defeat of the independence forces, the end of the Federal League and the exile of Artigas to Paraguay (he never returned to his native country and died in Asuncion in 1850).

A militant revolutionary group led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja landed on the beach of Agraciada (today's department of Soriano) and swore to fight until the expulsion of the Brazilians. They sent a petition to the Spanish crown and other European powers demanding the independence of the Banda Oriental from the Empire of Brazil and Portugal. A painting by Juan Manuel Blanes depicting this battle is on display at the Museo Blanes in Montevideo. It is called El Juramento de los Treinte y Tres Orientales (The Oath of the Thirty-Three Orientals).

Uruguay declared its independence from Brazil at the Congress of Florida and joined the United Provinces of the River Plate (the name used at that time to designate Argentina).

In order to protect their commercial interests in the region, the British signed the Preliminary Peace Convention in Rio de Janeiro. They thus promoted the creation of a buffer state between Argentina and Brazil. It was later agreed that the Empire of Brazil and the United Provinces of the River Plate would recognize the independence of Uruguay, which became a sovereign and autonomous nation.

Despite gaining independence, the situation in Uruguay remained unstable. Rivalries between the main cabildos led to a division between the colorados and the blancos, named for the red and white caps they wore in battle. The colorados, or red party, were more liberal and represented urban voters and European immigrants. They had French and English support. The blancos, or national party, are more conservative and have their base in rural areas. They were supported by Argentina. The civil war between these two groups broke out on March 10, 1839, and ended on October 8, 1851, with no winners or losers.

In 1864, Paraguay, led by Francisco Solano López, entered into a war with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, which was then controlled by the Colorado party. At the end of the conflict, Paraguay suffered heavy losses, with a large part of its territory annexed and its population considerably reduced.

Under the administration of the liberal government of José Battle y Ordóñez, president from 1903 to 1907 and again from 1911 to 1915, several progressive and social reforms were implemented, including the separation of church and state, free, secular and compulsory education, the establishment of public health programs, divorce legislation and the protection of labour rights. These transformations laid the foundation for the Uruguayan welfare state model and would shape the country for years to come.

José Batlle y Ordóñez was a Uruguayan politician and journalist who played a leading role in the history of his country. He was president of Uruguay twice, from 1903 to 1907 and from 1911 to 1915, and left a lasting mark on the political and social life of Uruguay with his progressive reforms. Born into an influential family, Batlle y Ordóñez began his career as a journalist. He founded the daily newspaper El Día, which became one of the most influential newspapers in Uruguay. At the same time, he became involved in politics and was elected as a deputy and then as a senator. During his presidential terms, he implemented an extensive program of social and political reforms. In addition, he established the secularization of the State, the right to vote for women, free secular education, and regulations in favor of workers, such as the eight-hour workday and unemployment insurance. He also created the "collegiado," a distinct political system in Latin America, where executive power was shared among several people to avoid centralization of power. This system was implemented in 1918 and lasted until 1933.

The country's exports were affected by the war, particularly because of the disruption of maritime trade caused by the submarine confrontations. Nevertheless, Uruguay also benefited from the growing demand for raw materials and agricultural products, such as meat and wool, thus boosting its economy. Although the country maintained neutrality during most of the conflict, it officially declared war on Germany and Japan in February 1945. However, this declaration came as the war was nearing its end and Uruguay did not actively participate in the fighting.

During the 1960s, Uruguay faced an economic crisis and significant political instability, aggravated by the violence perpetrated by the Tupamaros.

The political party Frente Amplio was created by a coalition of leftist groups, unions and intellectuals.

In 1973, under the leadership of General Juan María Bordaberry, a military coup d'état was carried out, resulting in the dissolution of Congress, the suspension of the Constitution and the establishment of an authoritarian regime. Political parties were banned and the media were censored. The resulting repression was characterized by intense brutality, with the arrest, imprisonment, torture and exile of thousands of Uruguayans. Human rights abuses became frequent, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and sexual violence. The regime's adoption of neoliberal economic policies led to widespread privatization of public enterprises and cuts in social spending. Finally, in 1985, thanks to international influence and the popular movement, the dictatorship ended.

In 1989, the election of Julio María Sanguinetti as president of Uruguay marked the beginning of a period of political and economic stability. These elections were the first to be considered truly free and fair in nearly two decades.