Trump visa crackdown hits leftist-run Latin American nations

The US immigrant visa crackdown has ensnared friends and foes alike in Latin America, where a large share of blacklisted countries are run by left-wing presidents such as US ally Uruguay.

The latest restriction on would-be US migrants pursued by US President Donald Trump aims to further prevent the entry of citizens from a list of 75 nations seen as more likely to tap government services.

The pause on visa immigrant processing starts on January 21.

The small South American nation of Uruguay sought a visa waiver programme under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden. But it now joins Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala – all led by leftist leaders – on the list, in addition to US foes Nicaragua and Cuba.

But citizens from countries led by more conservative presidents who have allied with Trump – Argentina, Paraguay and Ecuador – were spared the same fate. Speaking to reporters in Montevideo, US Ambassador Lou Rinaldi denied that Uruguay was singled out. 

President Yamandú Orsi has joined five other governments, including Brazil and Colombia, to condemn the US intervention in Venezuela earlier this month that seized Nicolás Maduro.

The Trump policy will only apply to those seeking to live and work permanently in the US, not tourists or temporary workers.

The policy won’t affect many Uruguayans “but in terms of the signal it sends, of course it concerns us,” Orsi said following a meeting Thursday with Rinaldi.

While Uruguay is known for its progressive social policies, it has also sought to maintain strong US ties even as China is its largest trading partner. The US is the top market for Uruguay’s software exports, while China is the number one buyer of its beef and soy beans.

In the past, only a tiny fraction of Uruguayans have sought the visas now set to be paused. Its citizens received just 123 of the more than 237,000 visas the US issued to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2024, according to US data.

While average US salaries are much higher than what Uruguayans earn, the South American country touts other advantages. It’s government provides public healthcare and free university education wile also boasting liberal policies, including legal abortion rights, cannabis, gay marriage and euthanasia on a national level.