Yamandú Orsi Takes Office as President, Celebrating Uruguay’s Democratic Continuity and Stability

Uruguay celebrated a new transition of power with Yamandú Orsi taking office as Country President. In a ceremony at the Palacio Legislativo and Plaza Independencia in Montevideo, Orsi was sworn in as the country’s 43rd president, succeeding Luis Lacalle Pou and in the presence of a large delegation of international dignitaries and political leaders, a fact that highlighted the institutional strength of the country. His term of office, which will last until 2030, represents not only the continuity of a robust democratic system but also a commitment to the sustainable development of Uruguay.

Yamandú Orsi was born in the department of Canelones in 1967. He was mayor of the department of Canelones, bordering Montevideo, for nine years, where he promoted social inclusion policies, support for small producers, and a strong push for environmental protection. His experience in public administration was fundamental to his victory in the 2024 elections when he was elected president with 49.8% of the vote in the second round, together with his running mate, the engineer and former mayor of Montevideo, Carolina Cosse, who became vice president.

In his inauguration speech, Orsi emphasized the value of Uruguayan democracy and its institutional stability. “Every five years, citizens have elected their leaders in a civic festival that makes the republic proud. This is a country of political parties, alternation in power, and agreements. A country in which trust continues to be a central element for its functioning. That is why we say that Uruguay works,” he said.

He also thanked the former presidents of the last four decades —Julio María Sanguinetti, Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera, José Mujica, and the outgoing president Luis Lacalle Pou, as well as the deceased Jorge Batlle and Tabaré Vázquez— for their contribution to the strengthening of democracy. “Thank you, democracy, thank you, republic, thank you, political parties, for making this Uruguay a plural amalgam of coexistence that still amazes the world,” he said.

Orsi emphasized that Uruguay’s progress has been possible thanks to an accumulation of achievements that have strengthened the country’s rights, culture, art, and science. He stressed that this sustained construction has consolidated a stable institutional framework where rules are respected, contracts are fulfilled, and the State honors its commitments. Furthermore, he pointed out that macroeconomic stability has become a State policy since the restoration of democracy, guaranteeing a predictable functioning of the economy. Finally, he emphasized that this process benefited Uruguay internally and projects the country internationally as an example of peace and stability.

Vice President Carolina Cosse also highlighted the country’s democratic strength in her speech: “Today, we feel a great emotion at this significant moment, which once again, as every five years, shows the world and ourselves the health of our exemplary democracy.”

Once the formal ceremony at the Legislative Palace was over, the new government authorities traveled to Plaza Independencia in an electric vehicle to reaffirm the incoming government’s commitment to the energy transition, an area in which Uruguay has made significant progress in recent years.

The success of the country’s energy transition is the result of joint work between all the political parties, which reached a national agreement on this policy aimed at sustainability and efficiency in 2010. Today, Uruguay’s energy matrix is a model for the region and the world, which the Orsi administration will continue to promote.

“Its past supports the pillars of a productive Uruguay, its present and future. The Uruguay of livestock farming that has existed since our origins, the Uruguay of energy sovereignty and sustainability, the Uruguay of science, research, and innovation as pillars for development and its contribution to the knowledge-based economy”, the president recalled in his inauguration speech.

The presence of international leaders at the handover ceremony, including the presidents of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Bolivia, reinforced Uruguay’s importance as an example of a stable and growing democracy in Latin America.

“This is not the start of a period of re-foundation, but one of new proposals and permanent construction,” Orsi emphasized. ‘Today I took an oath that I promise to honor with dedication, attentive listening, fervor, and tireless work,’ he added.

The president closed his speech with a message of optimism and commitment. “It is time to open the doors to hope with the unshakeable conviction of a country that knows where it is going, with the legacy of those who fought and never gave up. Today, we move forward with the strength of the present and our eyes on the future. We are going to build a better Uruguay. Today we begin,” he concluded.