Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Uruguay is one of Brazil’s main partners in South America. Historical, political and human ties between the two countries allow for the high degree of mutual trust, which pervades all aspects of the bilateral relationship. Cooperation between the two countries is encompassing, permeating the political, economic, technological and social fields.
Brazil and Uruguay are also partners in MERCOSUR: both are full and founding members of the bloc and work together on South American integration efforts.
The increasing economic integration has benefited the economy and the industry of the two countries. In 2024, trade flow between Brazil and Uruguay totaled $4.965 billion, with Brazilian exports of $2.707 billion and imports of $2.257 billion. This was the second best result in the historical series, behind only 2023. The trade agenda remains diversified, with emphasis on the automotive industry. The importance of Brazilian investments in Uruguay is also noteworthy, particularly in agricultural and export sectors.
The relationship gained significant momentum with the creation of the Brazil-Uruguay High-Level Group (GAN), which convened for the first time in 2013. The work of the GAN led to, among other concrete results, the signing of the Agreement on Permanent Residence with the Objective of Achieving the Free Movement of Persons, which establishes a simplified mechanism for granting permanent residence to Brazilian and Uruguayan nationals who wish to settle in the other country. The aforementioned agreement came into force on July 7, 2017.
Border cooperation is an important aspect of bilateral relations. The common border stretches for 1,069 kilometers and is home to a significant population. The most important mechanisms for developing border policies are the meetings of border committees and the New Brazil-Uruguay Border Cooperation and Development Agenda, which works in coordination with state/depart and local levels of the Brazilian and Uruguayan governments, seeking to meet the demands of the border population through bilaterally agreed policies.
In the field of physical border integration, highlight is given to the project to build a second international bridge over the Jaguarão River to improve international cargo and passenger traffic between Brazil and Uruguay. Another important project is the restoration of the historical and architectural heritage of the Barão de Mauá International Bridge, between the cities of Jaguarão (Brazil) and Rio Branco (Uruguay), which was inaugurated in 1930 and declared a historical heritage of MERCOSUR in 2015. Another highlight is the coordination between the two countries in the physical and institutional framework of the Uruguay-Brazil Waterway, which includes Patos and Mirim lagoons and their tributaries, and the developments in the use of the Rivera airport by Brazilian companies, on a binational basis.
On July 17, 2024, the Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, and her then Uruguayan counterpart, the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Nicolás Albertoni, co-chaired a meeting of political consultations between Brazil and Uruguay. The meeting aimed to review the bilateral agenda, including political, cooperation, economic and trade issues, in addition to providing an exchange of views on issues on the regional and multilateral agendas. A new edition of the consultations will take place on March 31.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has already made three visits to Montevideo during his current term, one of which within the scope of Mercosur.
Chronology of bilateral relations
2025 – Political Consultation Meeting between the Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, and the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Valeria Csukasi (March 31)
2025 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits Montevideo on the occasion of the inauguration of President Yamandú Orsi (March 1)
2024 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits Montevideo on the occasion of the Mercosur Summit (December 6)
2024 – President-elect of Uruguay Yamandú Orsi visits Brasília (November 29)
2024 – Political Consultation Meeting between the Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, and the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Nicolás Albertoni, in Montevideo (January 17)
2023 – Uruguayan Ministers of Foreign Affairs Francisco Bustillo, of Economy and Finance Azucena Arbeleche, and of Transportation and Public Works José Luis Falero visit Brasilia (March 7) [Joint Declaration]
2023 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits Montevideo at the invitation of President Luis Lacalle Pou (January 24)
2023 – President Lacalle Pou visits Brasilia for the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (January 1)
2022 – Meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Francisco Bustillo, and Brazil, Carlos França, in Los Angeles (June 10) [Joint Declaration]
2020 – Signing of the Interinstitutional Agreement for the Implementation of Technology and Knowledge Transfer of the “Consumidor.gov.br” Platform (July 13) [Joint Declaration]
2019 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, visits Brazil (Brasília, June 7)
2018 – The President of the Republic and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil visit Uruguay to take part in the 53rd Summit of Heads of State of Mercosur and Associated States and the 53rd Ordinary Meeting of the Common Market Council (December 17)
2017 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, visits Brazil (Brasília, March 29)
2016 – Minister José Serra visits Montevideo, where he is received by President Tabaré Vázquez and holds a working meeting with Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa (July 5)
2016 – The Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, chairs, together with his Uruguayan counterpart, Ambassador José Luis Cancela, the 10th High-Level Meeting of the New Agenda for Cooperation and Border Development between Brazil and Uruguay, in Brasília (July 18 and 19). April)
2015 – Uruguayan Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, and of Industry, Energy and Mining, Carolina Cosse visit Brazil (December 9)
2015 –President Tabaré Vázquez visits Brasilia, on the occasion of the 48th MERCOSUR Summit (July 18)
2015 – State visit of the President of Uruguay, Tabaré Vázquez (May 21)
2015 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, visits Brazil (April 16)
2015 – President Dilma Roussef travels to the department of Colonia for the inauguration of the Artilleros Wind Farm and to Montevideo for the inauguration of the President of Uruguay, Tabaré Vázquez (February 28 to March 1)
2015 – Minister Mauro Vieira visits Montevideo, on the occasion of the Meeting of the Reduced Commission of Foreign Ministers of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) on the situation in Venezuela (February 9)
2015 –President José Mujica visits Belo Horizonte (February)
2015 – President José Mujica visits Brasilia, on the occasion of the inauguration of President Dilma Rousseff
2014 – Working visit of President José Mujica to Brasilia (November)
2014 – Visit of Vice-President Michel Temer to Montevideo (September 23)
2014 – Meeting between President Dilma Rousseff and President José Mujica, in Brasilia, on the sidelines of a meeting with BRICS leaders (July)
2014 – Minister Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado visits Montevideo, on the occasion of the second plenary meeting of the Brazil-Uruguay High-Level Group (GAN) (May 16)
2013 – President José Mujica visits Brasilia (November 10)
2013 – Minister of Foreign Affairs Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado visits Montevideo (October 21)
2013 – President Dilma Rousseff visits Montevideo for the 45th Summit of Heads of State of MERCOSUR and Associated States (July 11 and 12)
2013 – First Plenary Meeting of the Brazil-Uruguay High-Level Group (GAN). Approval of the "Action Plan for Sustainable Development and Brazil-Uruguay Integration" (July 9). [Signed acts]
2013 – Foreign Minister Luis Almagro visits Brasilia (July 5)
2012 – President José Mujica visits Brasilia (December)
2012 – Foreign Minister Luis Almagro visits Rio de Janeiro (October 5)
2012 – 8th High-Level Meeting of the New Agenda for Cooperation and Development on the Border Between Brazil and Uruguay (Porto Alegre, September 13 and 14)
2012 – Creation of the Brazil-Uruguay High-Level Group, GAN, by Presidents Dilma Rousseff and José Mujica (July 31)
2012 – President José Mujica visits Brasilia (July)
2012 –President José Mujica visits Brasilia (April 19)
2011 – Foreign Minister Luis Almagro visits Brasilia (November 21)
2011 – Meeting between President Dilma Rousseff and President José Mujica on the sidelines of the Ibero-American Meeting to Celebrate the International Year for People of African Descent, in Salvador (November 19)
2011 – President José Mujica visits Porto Alegre (November)
2011 – Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota visits Montevideo (September)
2011 – Foreign Minister Luis Almagro visits Brasilia (June)
2011 – President Dilma Rousseff visits Montevideo (November 30) [Acts adopted]
2011 – President José Mujica, Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota and Minister Almagro take part in the Brazil-Uruguay Business Meeting at FIESP headquarters (March 14)
2011 – Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota visits Montevideo (January 18)
2011 – President José Mujica participates in the inauguration of President Dilma Rousseff
2010 – Meeting between Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mujica on the sidelines of the Mercosur Summit (December)
2010 – President José Mujica participates in the inauguration ceremony of the Darcy Ribeiro Memorial, at the University of Brasília (December)
2010 – Meeting between Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mujica in Santana do Livramento/Rivera (July 30) [Press statement]
2010 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits Montevideo (May 4) [Press statement]
2010 – President José Mujica visits Brasilia (March)
2010 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attends the inauguration of President José Mujica
2009 – President Tabaré Vázquez visits Brasilia (March 10)
2008 – Foreign Minister Gonzálo Fernández visits Brasilia (May)
2007 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announces the opening of Banco do Brasil and BNDES offices in Uruguay (December)
2007 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva makes a working visit to Uruguay (February)
2006 – Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Tabaré Vázquez meet in Porto Alegre (September)
2006 – Bilateralization of the Agreement on Residence for MERCOSUR Nationals (March)
2006 – President Tabaré Vázquez makes an official visit to Brazil (March)
2005 – President Tabaré Vázquez makes a state visit to Brazil (April)
2005 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva participates in the inauguration of President Tabaré Vázquez (March)
2004 – Agreement on Permits of Residence, Study and Work for Border Nationals
1991 – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay sign the Treaty for the establishment of MERCOSUR
1975 – Brazil and Uruguay conclude, in Rivera, the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Trade
1963 – Agreement on the Creation of a Joint Commission for the Use of Lagoa Mirim
1909 – Unilateral concession by Brazil of the condominium of Lagoa Mirim and the Jaguarão River
1889 – Uruguay recognizes the republican regime in Brazil
1865 – Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay sign the Treaty of the Triple Alliance against Paraguay
1865 – The Colorados defeat the Blancos with Brazilian support, adopting a pro-Empire policy
1865 – José Maria da Silva Paranhos signs a Peace Agreement with the warring factions in Uruguay
1864 – The Uruguayan government breaks off diplomatic relations and Brazilian troops invade Uruguay
1864 – A Brazilian fleet is sent to Uruguay to demand reparations from cattle ranchers in Rio Grande do Sul
1857 – A Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between Brazil and Uruguay is signed in Rio de Janeiro
1854 – Brazil intervenes in Uruguay to support Venancio Flores (Colorado Party)
1830 – The Uruguayan Constitution is officially approved following ratification by Brazil and Argentina
1828 – A Peace Convention is signed in Rio de Janeiro formalizing Uruguay's Independence