IDB grants Uruguay US$25 million loan for security improvements
Thursday, November 20th 2025 – 10:43 UTC
This loan is a further demonstration that public safety is a priority for the government, Valverde said
Uruguay’s Interior Ministry has secured the first disbursement of a US$200 million credit line from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with an initial US$25 million tranche set for execution in 2026 to modernize the country’s public security apparatus. The financing supports the government’s ambitious 2025–2035 National Public Security Plan, aiming to address longstanding concerns about rising crime and prison conditions.
This loan is a further demonstration that public safety is a priority for the government, said Undersecretary of the Interior, Gabriela Valverde, confirming the initial funds will focus on three key areas: strengthening police training, intelligence and criminal analysis, and the prison system.
The US$25 million disbursement is to be split, with US$12 million to improve the heavily scrutinized prison system, which has faced issues with overcrowding and conditions, including the construction of a new admission, diagnosis, and referral center for inmates in the interior of the country (specifically Durazno), to simplify processes north of the Negro River. Resources will also be used to reinforce electronic security in several prison units nationwide and to strengthen programs for the care and treatment of inmates.
Then some US$7 million will be to Police training and equipment through the professionalization of the police force, including a new curriculum framework. Funds will also be used to equip and modernize the building infrastructure of the Montevideo Police Academy. The financing of a program to consolidate police leadership with a gender perspective is also included.
The remainder of the funds will be used to purchase scientific and technological equipment to enhance criminal investigations, particularly in areas like cybercrime and organized crime. In future operations, we will complete the US$200 million, Valverde stated, emphasizing that the IDB commitment allows the ministry to initiate its 10-year security plan beyond the government’s own resources.
