Uruguay: Economy Minister reveals daily U.S. pressure to break commercial ties with China
The minister warned that if Uruguay does not comply with Washington’s demands, its commercial relationship with the Trump administration will not improve and could get worse
Uruguay’s Economy Minister Gabriel Oddone disclosed to business leaders that the United States is exerting unimaginable and unsustainable pressure on the country to break its trade relationship with China, according to the weekly newspaper Búsqueda, citing several attendees at a private meeting with the Confederation of Business Chambers (CCE) held on Tuesday, March 24.
The minister warned that if Uruguay does not comply with Washington’s demands, its commercial relationship with the Trump administration will not improve and could get worse. According to attendees consulted by the newspaper, Oddone conveyed that the pressure is applied daily and across the various channels of engagement between both countries.
The revelation comes at a delicate time for Uruguay. The economy grew 1.8% in 2025, below the government’s 2.6% forecast, and analysts have already cut their 2026 projections to 1.6%. China is the South American country’s top trading partner and a key destination for its exports of beef, soybeans, and cellulose.
Oddone made the remarks during a private gathering with more than twenty presidents and representatives of business chambers, also attended by the director of the Planning and Budget Office, Rodrigo Arim. The meeting lasted over two hours at Uruguay’s Technological Laboratory and covered a broad agenda with moments of heated exchange.
According to attendees cited by Búsqueda, the minister acknowledged having little room to maneuver due to both the inherited fiscal situation and internal differences within the governing coalition over pushing reforms. Facing complaints from the private sector about a bloated and slow state, Oddone asked them to see the glass half full, arguing that Uruguay’s economy is growing despite a very complex international environment in which the country is swimming through dulce de leche.
The economy minister reiterated that Uruguay will not become a cheap country and that competitiveness gains will not come through the dollar’s exchange rate but through microeconomic changes aimed at streamlining and reducing foreign trade costs, alongside targeted measures such as those announced on Wednesday, March 25, to protect local commerce along the border with Argentina.
The meeting included a tense exchange with the president of the Rural Federation, Rafael Normey, who painted a negative picture for private investment and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of reforms. Oddone responded by asking for specific proposals and challenging them to consider what they would do in his position.
When contacted by Búsqueda, Oddone declined to comment on the meeting, describing it as a private event. Some executives left with a bittersweet feeling, while others were satisfied with the government’s explanations. According to sources, the minister closed with an optimistic rallying call: Believe me, we are going to do well, appealing to the country’s strengths to navigate the international landscape.
Oddone’s remarks bring into sharp focus the tension Uruguay faces between its two largest trading partners amid escalating geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Beijing — pressure compounded by a regional economic slowdown and the uncertainty generated by the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
