Uruguay will keep private pension fund managers as an integral part of its social security architecture, Finance Minister Gabriel Oddone said Thursday during an interview on Radiomundo 1170. Oddone sought to calm speculation about nationalization, stating that individual savings accounts will remain protected and under private sector administration.
The structure and future of the pension system have attracted attention from international investors, Oddone added. He said that potential changes to these funds were the primary issue raised by investors at last week’s International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington.
The private managers, commonly referred to as AFAPs, currently oversee more than $25 billion in assets on behalf of roughly 1.7 million participants. Those accumulated savings play a practical role in Uruguay’s domestic financial ecosystem by supporting local capital markets and helping the government to reduce its reliance on foreign-currency borrowing.
The push to review or reform the pension system followed a 2024 public vote in which citizens rejected a labour union-backed proposal that would have nationalized the retirement system. Despite that outcome, the government has continued work on a possible overhaul.
President Yamandú Orsi’s social security commission is scheduled to deliver formal policy recommendations on April 28. The government has said those recommendations will form the blueprint for any forthcoming reform legislation. Until and unless new laws are enacted, authorities maintain that the current hybrid model - which includes the state social security agency BPS alongside private pension managers - will remain in place.
Oddone’s comments aim to provide clarity to both domestic savers and international stakeholders who have flagged the pension system as a point of concern. With AFAPs managing a substantial pool of retirement assets and contributing to local market liquidity, their continued role is a core element of the government’s stated approach to social security and market funding.
Summary
Uruguay’s finance minister affirmed that private pension fund managers will remain part of the national social security system, protecting individual accounts and maintaining private administration. The issue has been a focus for investors at recent IMF meetings. AFAPs manage over $25 billion for about 1.7 million people and support domestic capital markets. President Orsi’s commission will submit reform recommendations on April 28, which the government says will guide future legislation while preserving the hybrid model for now.