The President of Uruguay Juan María Bordaberry dissolves Parliament and establishes a dictatorship.

Juan Mara Bordaberry Arocena (Spanish: [boaeri aoena, -sena]; 17 June 1928 17 July 2011) was a Uruguayan politician and cattle rancher, who served as constitutional President from 1972 until 1973, and then ruled as the head of a civilian-military dictatorship up to 1976.

He came to office following the Presidential elections of late 1971. In 1973, Bordaberry dissolved the General Assembly and was widely regarded as ruling by decree as a military-sponsored dictator until disagreements with the military led to his being overthrown before his original term of office had expired.

On November 17, 2006 he was arrested in a case involving four deaths, including two of members of the General Assembly during the period of civilian-military rule in the 1970s.

The president of Uruguay (Spanish: Presidente del Uruguay), officially known as the president of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (Presidente de la República Oriental del Uruguay), is the head of state and head of government of Uruguay. Their rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch. In case of absence, his office is exercised by the vice president. In turn, the president of the republic is the commander in chief of the Armed Forces.

Since 1990, the president's term has begun and ended on 1 March. This same date for ending the presidency also happened during the National Council of Government (1952–1967) and it has been not unusual since 1839.

The current president since 1 March 2020 is Luis Lacalle Pou, who is the 42nd president of Uruguay—and also the son of the 36th president, Luis Alberto Lacalle.