Uruguay is a small country when considered on a global level. There is only one smaller South American country on the continent. Uruguay has long been overshadowed politically and economically by the republic Brazil and Argentina.
Politically, Uruguay recently elected a socialist president, yet the inhabitants are dissatisfied with the current and persisting economic disenfranchisement that exists. Uruguay cost of living is not much less than that experienced in the USA, yet the annual income of Uruguay citizens is substantially lower than other developing countries.
The two major social-political aspects that keep Uruguay citizens impoverished is the oppressive government and the atrocious tax system. Practically every purchase at every vending facility there was a 22% sales tax tacked on. Essentially that means one quarter of the purchase price of purchased items receive a government imposed penalty. This prohibits economic strength and growth, and as long as the citizens of Uruguay allow their government to rape them in this way, the country will remain enslaved.
Another aspect I learned was that the “social security tax” is 100% for each employee and must be paid to the government by the company who employs them. If an employee receives the equivalence of $600 US dollars per month, the employer must pay an equal amount ($600 per month) to the government for the retirement of that person. If the person does not live until retirement age, the money is absorbed into the government system and not distributed among any survivors. Because of this, economic growth is adversely affected, taking away profits from the company and removing any incentive to progress.
Uruguay’s government is yet another example of the Spanish imposed cultural impact on many parts of the world, specifically South and Central America. In my opinion, Spain needs to be held accountable for reparations of the indigenous peoples not only of South and Central America, but portions of North America and other countries and continents as well. Personally, my view is that Spain, the Spanish government and its citizens are of the most evil culture that ever existed on this earth. The more disparaging aspect is that those types of activities continue across the globe with, now, other nations becoming the perpetrators to include the USA and many of its allies. There is no accountability held against those governments in Uruguay nor in many other parts of the world. Because of this, the country will forever remain impoverished all the while convinced that life can be no better and, albeit mistakenly, they are experiencing upward mobility on a global level.
It must be said that the oppressive government starts at the borders. Nearly every ountry has a contraband list to which visitors must adhere. Uruguay is no different in that aspect. However, practically everything health food wise is prohibited from being brought into the country. Upon my arrivale to Uruguay, everything I bought exclusive for the flight and sustenance upon arrival in Uruguay was confiscated at customs. This included a few small packs of cheese still in the wrapper from Costa Rica, a bag of “Trail Mix” and every nutritional item that were healthy and that would last a couple days without being refrigerated. When customs scanned my only carry on item, every health food item was seized, although I had the bag and receipt of purchase. The items that were not seized was the processed foods such as granola bars and chocolate raisins, cacao nibs I had made at the retreat center in costa Rica two days prior to departing and an individual pack of soda crackers. Forget the coconut that had been harvested, dried and shredded prior to flight. That was also seized. It appears that Uruguaytian government officials want your high value items deposited in the extremely clean bins stationed beside their chair upon your arrival. There is little doubt that unopen items end up in their kitchen some where along the seizure process. Had I been thinking, I would have opened all the items and accidentally smashed them on the excessively sterile floor under which the excessively clean and sterile collection bin was stationed. Yeah, fuck Uruguay, too.
This being said, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to have had this experience. However, I most certainly will never return to Uruguay unless it is to assist others in escaping the oppressive government and boycott this nation.
Aside from this, the citizens of Uruguay are relatively friendly but tend to be happy living in their own little bubble with little or no desire to grow, improve or interact with the outside world.