Uruguay recorded a total of 208 victims of human trafficking last year, of which 169 were minors and Cuban migrants, according to a report published by the U.S. government and confirmed by local sources.
Among the victims were Uruguayans, Argentinians, Colombians, Nicaraguans, and Cubans, whose presence has grown in the South American nation in the context of the migratory crisis in the Caribbean island, cited the national newspaper El País.
As part of the World Day Against Human Trafficking, the association Agenda de Derechos, in collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico, organized a discussion to address the situation in Uruguay.
The president of the National Institute for Women (Inmujeres), Mónica Bottero, emphasized that Uruguay has become a country of origin and transit for human trafficking.
"In the nineties, we were more of a receiving country; today we are also a country of origin and transit," he stated.
The report reveals a concerning increase in the number of convicted traffickers, with 35 convictions in 2023, nearly triple compared to the 13 in 2022. Despite these advancements, serious challenges in the fight against human trafficking persist, they noted.
The report highlighted that among the trafficking victims were several Cubans, who were lured by false promises of employment and better opportunities.
The harsh conditions in Cuba, including the lack of freedoms and economic opportunities, continue to drive many to seek a desperate exit to other countries, including Uruguay, where 20 percent of the migrant population originates from the island.
By 2020, cases of human trafficking involving Cuban women were already being seen. In that year, the police authorities of Uruguay dismantled a network that sexually exploited Cuban women in that South American country.
Mariela Solari, director of the Victims and Witnesses Unit of the Prosecutor's Office, highlighted the "mutations" in the modalities of these crimes, emphasizing that criminal organizations adapt quickly, making effective prosecution difficult. "It seems that we are always running behind," Solari stated.
Mariana Kiefer, Head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Unodc) in Uruguay, highlighted the use of technology by criminals to target victims.
"We think they are safe because they are in their room, but they could be talking to people from anywhere in the world," she explained.
A recent report from the U.S. government indicates that Uruguay "does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, but is taking significant measures to achieve it."
The country is on the Level 2 Watch List. Among the advancements are increased investigations of alleged traffickers and an increase in funding for victim services.
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