Security experts critique government crime strategies in Uruguay and Chile

Security experts and critics are evaluating recent government approaches to organized crime and public safety in Uruguay and Chile.

In Uruguay, specialists note that while the administration of Laura Fernández has shown political will through police reforms and increased presence in certain territories, the strategy relies heavily on a “mano dura” (iron fist) logic. Experts, including Karen Jiménez Morales from UNED, argue that effective policy must go beyond increasing penalties and police pressure to include the pursuit of illicit capital, anti-corruption measures, and social prevention to stop criminal recruitment of youth.

In Chile, recent government actions regarding security—including constitutional reforms for prisoner control and high-profile inmate transfers—have faced criticism. Some observers characterize these moves as media-driven operations lacking a substantive plan, noting that previous political stances often dismissed evidence of declining homicide rates while promising decisive action that has yet to materialize in a structured manner.