A common sight before in Montevideo,

the situation has spread to the tourist resort of Punta del Este, as well as to the departmental capital, Maldonado, where people can be seen sleeping on the streets and scavenging for scraps in garbage containers.

Nationwide, according to authorities, the number of homeless people has tripled, with a 24 percent increase equal to the previous measurement in 2021.

But the actual number of people in extreme vulnerability who used shelters was much higher.

In 2024, before Orsi took office, 11,251 people used these facilities. By the end of 2025, that number had reached 13,597 people, an increase of more than 20 percent compared to the previous year.

It was found that 60 percent of these individuals had been incarcerated and others had a history of drug use.

According to the official view, the issue is multidimensional: encompassing health, mental health, security, housing, and social aspects, and it worsens during the winter months.

In April, the First National Comprehensive Strategy for Addressing Homelessness was announced, outlining 42 measures and aiming to convert 3,000 temporary shelters into supported housing by 2028.

jdt/oda/ool