Uruguay is in a state of Perplexity amidst relations with Argentina and Turkey.

The recent announcement by Argentina and the United States of a joint trade agreement has generated controversy in Montevideo (Capital of Uruguay), where it is perceived as a violation of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) rules, so the Uruguan Government led by President Yamandú Orsi will monitor the case closely.

In this regard, Orsi has already planned to meet with the US Ambassador Lou Rinaldi today, 15th November, 2025 to discuss the matter, while Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin will travel to Argentina next week for further talks with the Libertarian administration.

“We don’t have to take any position”, Lubetkin said. “It’s an agreement between two legitimate countries with whom we have extraordinary relations. We need to understand it a little better. What we’ve seen in the media is biased”, he clarified. While reiterating further the Uruguan Foreign Minister has said, “Our position is that if it helps other countries and does not affect us, it is welcome. And we are keeping our ears open to see how it can be useful for our own economic development”, noting that the Economy Ministry would evaluate the agreement to see what opportunities it brings for Uruguay.

However, Ignacio Bartesaghi, a Foreign Relations PhD holder at the Catholic University of Uruguay (UCU), told media personnel that the initiative would directly affect Montevideo’s exports and create internal friction within Mercosur, just one month before the virtual signing of the trade deal with the European Union (EU). In addition, Argentina approached the US unilaterally, without consulting with the other Mercosur members, the expert explained. The case has rekindled the question debated during Luis Lacalle Pou’s presidency (2020-2025) of whether Uruguay should resume its flexibilisation strategy and seek deals on its own.

Bartesaghi noted that Argentina will grant preferences within the framework of the exceptions to the Common External Tariff (CET) that were approved months ago, and has considered that this represents an advantage over its Mercosur partners and could have an impact, such as improving access conditions for its meat.

The specialist noted that US President Donald Trump is proposing preferential trade based on partners with a strong ideological component. Uruguay in such a scenario evitably feels uncomfortable because it does not intend to develop its trade strategy based on ideologies.

Regarding the agricultural sector, Bartesaghi admitted: “I imagine there is concern within the sector because there is a new price floor for meat in China, and Uruguay has offset this with a significant market in the United States”. Bartesaghi further foresaw the agreement reverberating across European anti-Mercosur FTA nations, such as France. He concluded that Uruguay should resume its stance of flexibilisation, particularly ahead of Orsi’s upcoming trip to China.

Furthermore, nearly 3,000 cattle’s which were exported from Uruguay on 19th September, 2025 are stranded aboard a cargo ship off the coast of Türkiye, unable to unload their cargo due to irregularities in their health and commercial certifications, according to Turkish authorities.

The Togo-flagged cargo ship Spiridon II has been anchored off the port of Bandirma since October 21st, approximately three weeks after arriving from Montevideo. The animals have been confined on the ship for over 50 days since leaving Uruguay. The Turkish government have confirmed that an import request for 2,901 cattle was submitted on October 21st but was denied entry. “Inspections revealed that some animals did not have ear tags or electronic identification chips, and that 469 did not match the lists provided”, the authorities stated.

Due to these discrepancies, Türkiye rejected the entire shipment, fearing the uncertified animals could pose an infection risk.

Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin confirmed that his office was assisting the technical teams from the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries (MGAP) to resolve the administrative issue.

However, sources from the MGAP indicated the problem may be rooted in a commercial dispute, with Marcelo Rodríguez, Director of Livestock Services, noting that the importer had allegedly rejected animals that were not on the initial order.

The delay has led to a significant loss of life among the cattle. Turkish media and the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) report that at least 48 animals have died after more than 50 days at sea. The AWF is demanding the immediate disembarkation of the animals.

Uruguayan authorities are working to facilitate technical meetings to either resolve the issue for Turkish entry or arrange for relocation to another country.

Team Maverick