Ayahuasca in Uruguay
February 27, 2023 Juan Scuro, Ismael Apud, Sebastián Torterola
Ayahuasca arrived in Uruguay in the 1990s via Santo Daime church and neo-shamanic and holistic centers, sparking legal cases and public debates where drug policies and religious rights intersect. This chapter describes recent cases: the confiscation of 30 liters of ayahuasca from Santo Daime, analyzed under Uruguayan drug law; a father's denunciation after his son, a former ayahuasca user and spiritual seeker, committed suicide; and controversies around Ayahuasca International's arrival. The discussion highlights tensions between religious freedom, concerns about dangerous sects, public health, and drug policy in contemporary Uruguay.