Local Government
8
Large Cities
1
Capital Cities
5
Regional or State Governments
0
National Government
0
Other Institutions
0
Local Government
8
Large Cities
1
Capital Cities
5
Regional or State Governments
0
National Government
0
Other Institutions
0
Community
Capital
Montevideo
Population
3 461 730
Language
Spanish
Currency
Uruguayn Peso
Indexes
Democracy
15
Full democracy
Democracy
Democracy
15
Full democracy
Democracy
Corruption Perception
21/180
Medium
Corruption Perception
Corruption Perception
21/180
Medium
Corruption Perception
Human Development
57
Very High
Human Development
Human Development
57
Very High
Human Development
World Happiness
26/153
Very High
World Happiness
World Happiness
26/153
Very High
World Happiness
Global Peace
34
High
Global Peace
Global Peace
34
High
Global Peace
Global Terrorism
121
Very Low
Global Terrorism
Global Terrorism
121
Very Low
Global Terrorism
LEGISLATION ON PB
The level of formalization of Uruguayan experiences of PP is very low. There is no national legislation, and, in most cases, they are only regulated by mandates issued by the local executive (departmental or municipal).
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION
The Participatory Budgeting experience of the municipality of Piriápolis (Maldonado) and that has been implemented for 5 years in a row, presents an interesting design in which the city is divided in three zones and all the money destined to each of the territorial divisions is used to finance a single proposal. In addition, the relationship with the government’s strategic plan is also taken into account within the viability criteria. Therefore, it avoids the dispersion of investments with very small amounts of money that can be observed in several PBs in the country, and that usually have little connection between them and little strategic sense. However, it would be interesting if the project evaluation commission also involved citizen’s representatives.
Besides this method, another one is introduced in order to present proposals at city level, which implies the implementation of a central project, a larger one (3 times the amount of a zonal project) and that is aimed at collecting proposals of interest for the municipality as a whole. The proposal involves two levels: one that is closer to the daily life of the residents and another that contemplates the city in all its complexity and to elaborate proposals on themes that are transversal to it. Based on the design, it can be said that this innovation includes the proposals of proximity but does not remain only at that level, which is usually attractive for many citizens, making it possible to think about the territory in a less fragmented way.
It would be interesting if the design incorporated the possibility of implementing proposals that were agreed by the different actors in workshops and that were not necessarily decided in a competition through a vote. It would be possible to work on decision making with two possible scenarios, thus seeking to enhance the participants’ capacity for dialogue.
INITIAL REFERENCE FOR THE ADOPTION OF PB IN THE COUNTRY
The first PB experience in Uruguay emerged in Montevideo at the early 1990s (although it wasn’t called PB yet) encouraged by the new Latin American left. It appeared shortly after the Porto Alegre initiative, but its design was very different so it cannot be said that its methodology was based on it.
Nevertheless, the popularity of the Porto Alegre PB undeniably stimulated the launching of this experience, in fact, the name of the process changed from “Processes for defining Management Commitments” to “Participatory Budgeting”. It surely was influenced by the success of the Porto Alegre’s expertise and the implementation of the PB as a good practice at the international level.
SUBSEQUENT REFERENCE FOR PB DISSEMINATION
Montevideo’s experience is one of the most consolidated in the world with 30 years of uninterrupted implementation.
It is part of a participatory decentralization project and has been evolving on the basis of a flexible design that is adjusted by the self-regulation modality with the participation of neighborhood representatives. Being that said and the large number of studies and publications that exist regarding this experience, it is likely that it has been an inspiration for other subsequent experiences; however, we do not have concrete evidence in this matter.
IMPACTS OF COVID-19 DISEASE ON PB
1. PB have been suspended: 12,5%
2. PB continued to function normally: N/A
3. PB have undergone changes/adaptations: N/A
MAIN TRENDS OF PB IN THE COUNTRY DURING THE PANDEMIC
Participatory Budgeting experiences were not implemented during the pandemic.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Uruguay is divided in three levels of government, national, departmental and municipal. The municipalities are incorporated in the departments so often a departmental program, such as the PB, may also involve municipal government participation. Thus, in the case of Rivera the PP is promoted and executed by the departmental government, while in Montevideo, Paysandú, Maldonado and Canelones (youth PB) the Participatory Budgeting is a program of the departmental government but is also developed at the municipal level along with its collaboration.
In Canelones the Youth PB is created within the orbit of the departmental government but only executed exclusively in the following municipalities: 18 de Mayo, Cerrillos, Las Piedras, Pando, Parque del Plata, Paso Carrasco, Salinas, Santa Lucía, Santa Rosa, Suárez, Tala and Toledo.
