Ayahuasca in Uruguay

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.

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Abstract

Ayahuasca appeared in Uruguay in the 1990s through different groups such as Santo Daime church and different neo-shamanic and holistic centers. Since then, different legal cases and public discussions arose, in a debate where drug policies and religious rights were involved. The current chapter describes and analyzes some cases that recently emerged in the public scenario. First, we will briefly describe the general background of ayahuasca in the country, under the general background of psycho-spiritual networks. Next, we will discuss one specific case involving the confiscation of 30 liters of ayahuasca from the church of Santo Daime. Legal aspects of Uruguayan drug policies will be described, in order to analyze this particular case. After this, we will analyze two cases related to ayahuasca groups, and how they were treated in the mass media, with different public opinions, some of them under the idea of dangerous sects, using drugs to indoctrination. The first case is a denounce by the father of a former ayahuasca user and spiritual seeker who committed suicide. The second case is related to the arrival of the group Ayahuasca International to the country, and the different debates that it produced after a meeting organized by the leader of the center. Finally, we will discuss the tension between religious freedom, dangerous cults, public health, and drugs in the Uruguayan contemporary context.