# List of presidents of Uruguay

Uruguay is a presidential republic in which the president is both the head of state and head of government. The following is a list of all the people who have held the office of President of Uruguay since 6 November 1830 (when the first constitution was adopted), with the exception of those who held the office of "President" under the National Council of Government, which served as the country's executive directory from 1955 to 1967. The first president of this list is Fructuoso Rivera, who held the office twice and once as part of the Triumvirate that ruled the country from 1853 to 1854.
Most of the presidents of Uruguay have belonged to the Colorado Party, a traditionally conservative party founded by Rivera in 1836, although there has not been a Colorado president since Jorge Batlle left office in 2005. The first free democratic elections for president were held in 1922. The current president is Yamandú Orsi of the Broad Front, who was elected in the 2024 presidential election.

## Governors of Uruguay as a province
### Oriental Province (1814–1817)

Province part of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| 1 | Nicolás Rodríguez Peña (1775–1853) | 9 July 1814 | 25 August 1814 | Governor. Appointed by Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. |
| 2 | Miguel Estanislao Soler (1783–1849) | 25 August 1814 | 25 February 1815 | Governor. |
| 3 | Fernando Otorgués [es] (1774–1831) | 26 February 1815 | July 1815 | Governor. Appointed by José Gervasio Artigas. |
| 4 | Miguel Barreiro [es] (1789–1848) | July 1815 | 20 January 1817 | Governor. Appointed by José Gervasio Artigas. |

### Cisplatine Province (1817–1828)

After the Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental the Oriental Province became a province of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and a province of the Empire of Brazil after 1822.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| 5 | | Carlos Frederico Lecor (1764–1836) | 20 January 1817 | 3 February 1826 | Governor. |
| 6 | | Francisco de Paula Magessi Tavares de Carvalho [pt] (1769–1847) | 3 February 1826 | 27 August 1828 | Governor. |

### Oriental Province (1825–1828)

In the Congress of Florida the Oriental Province declared independence from the Empire of Brazil and reunited with the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| 7 | Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853) | 19 September 1825 | 5 July 1826 | Governor. Appointed by the Congress of Florida. |
| 8 | Joaquín Suárez (1781–1868) | 5 July 1826 | 12 October 1827 | Governor. |
| 9 | Luis Eduardo Pérez (1774–1841) | 12 October 1827 | 27 August 1828 | Governor. Appointed by Juan Antonio Lavalleja. |

## Heads of state of Uruguay as an independent country
### Government and Provisional General Captaincy of the Oriental State of Uruguay (1828–1830)

After the Preliminary Peace Convention the Oriental Province gained effective independence from the Empire of Brazil and the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Notes |
| (9) | Luis Eduardo Pérez (1774–1841) | 27 August 1828 | 1 December 1828 | Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by Juan Antonio Lavalleja. |
| (8) | Joaquín Suárez (1781–1868) | 2 December 1828 | 22 December 1828 | Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly. |
| 10 | José Rondeau (1775–1844) | 22 December 1828 | 17 April 1830 | Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly. Resigned. |
| (7) | Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853) | 17 April 1830 | 28 June 1830 | Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly. |

### Oriental State of Uruguay (1830–1919)

The Constitution of 1830 comes into force.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Elected | Notes |
| (7) | Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853) | 28 June 1830 | 24 October 1830 | — | — | Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly. |
| (9) | Luis Eduardo Pérez (1774–1841) | 24 October 1830 | 6 November 1830 | — | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 10 | Fructuoso Rivera (1784–1854) | 6 November 1830 | 24 October 1834 | — | 1830 | 1st Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned. |
| 11 | Carlos Anaya (1777–1862) | 24 October 1834 | 1 March 1835 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 12 | Manuel Oribe (1792–1857) | 1 March 1835 | 24 October 1838 | National | 1835 | 2nd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned. |
| 13 | Gabriel Antonio Pereira (1794–1861) | 24 October 1838 | 1 March 1839 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 10 | Fructuoso Rivera (1784–1854) | 1 March 1839 | 1 March 1843 | Colorado | 1839 | 3rd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 12 | Manuel Oribe (1792–1857) | 16 February 1843 | 8 October 1851 | National | — | Self-proclaimed president of the Gobierno del Cerrito, during the Uruguayan Civil War. |
| 8 | Joaquín Suárez (1781–1868) | 1 March 1843 | 15 February 1852 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. President of the Gobierno de la Defensa, during the Uruguayan Civil War. |
| 14 | Bernardo Prudencio Berro (1803–1868) | 15 February 1852 | 1 March 1852 | National | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 15 | Juan Francisco Giró (1791–1863) | 1 March 1852 | 25 September 1853 | National | 1852 | 4th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Ousted from office by a coup d'état. |
| 16 | Venancio Flores (1808–1868) | 25 September 1853 | 12 March 1854 | Colorado | — | Triumvirate. Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja died in office. |
| 10 | Fructuoso Rivera (1784–1854) | 25 September 1853 | 13 January 1854 | Colorado | — | Triumvirate. Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja died in office. |
| 7 | Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853) | 25 September 1853 | 22 October 1853 | — | — | Triumvirate. Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja died in office. |
| 16 | Venancio Flores (1808–1868) | 12 March 1854 | 10 September 1855 | Colorado | 1854 | 5th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned. |
| 17 | Luis María Lamas (1793–1864) | 29 August 1855 | 10 September 1855 | Conservative | — | Self-proclaimed president after the Rebellion of the Conservatives [es]. |
| 18 | Manuel Basilio Bustamante (1785–1863) | 10 September 1855 | 15 February 1856 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 19 | José María Plá [es] (1794–1869) | 15 February 1856 | 1 March 1856 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 13 | Gabriel Antonio Pereira (1794–1861) | 1 March 1856 | 1 March 1860 | Colorado | 1856 | 6th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 14 | Bernardo Prudencio Berro (1803–1868) | 1 March 1860 | 1 March 1864 | National | 1860 | 7th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 20 | Atanasio Cruz Aguirre (1801–1875) | 1 March 1864 | 15 February 1865 | National | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned after the Brazilian invasion. |
| 21 | Tomás Villalba (1805–1886) | 15 February 1865 | 20 February 1865 | National | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned after the Brazilian invasion. |
| 16 | Venancio Flores (1808–1868) | 20 February 1865 | 15 February 1868 | Colorado | — | De facto president after the Brazilian invasion. Assumed power as Provisional Governor for 3 years. |
| 22 | Pedro Varela (1837–1906) | 15 February 1868 | 1 March 1868 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 23 | Lorenzo Batlle (1810–1887) | 1 March 1868 | 1 March 1872 | Colorado | 1868 | 8th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 24 | Tomás Gomensoro Albín (1810–1900) | 1 March 1872 | 1 March 1873 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 25 | José Eugenio Ellauri (1834–1894) | 1 March 1873 | 22 January 1875 | Colorado | 1873 | 9th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned. |
| 22 | Pedro Varela (1837–1906) | 22 January 1875 | 10 March 1876 | Colorado | — | 10th Constitutional President, appointed by the General Assembly after the resignation of Ellauri. Ousted by a coup d'état. |
| – | Lorenzo Latorre (1844–1916) | 10 March 1876 | 1 March 1879 | Colorado | — | Assumed power as Provisional Governor. |
| 26 | Lorenzo Latorre (1844–1916) | 1 March 1879 | 15 March 1880 | Colorado | 1879 | 11th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned. |
| 27 | Francisco Antonino Vidal (1825–1889) | 15 March 1880 | 1 March 1882 | Colorado | — | 12th Constitutional President, appointed as president by the General Assembly to finish the presidential period 1879–1883. Resigned. |
| 28 | Máximo Santos (1847–1889) | 1 March 1882 | 1 March 1886 | Colorado | — | 13th Constitutional President, appointed by the General Assembly for a term of 4 years. |
| 27 | Francisco Antonino Vidal (1825–1889) | 1 March 1886 | 24 May 1886 | Colorado | 1886 | 14th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned. |
| 28 | Máximo Santos (1847–1889) | 24 May 1886 | 18 November 1886 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned. |
| 29 | Máximo Tajes (1852–1912) | 18 November 1886 | 1 March 1890 | Colorado | — | 15th Constitutional President, appointed as president by the General Assembly to finish the presidential period 1886–1890. |
| 30 | Julio Herrera y Obes (1841–1912) | 1 March 1890 | 1 March 1894 | Colorado | 1890 | 16th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 31 | Duncan Stewart (1833–1923) | 1 March 1894 | 21 March 1894 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 32 | Juan Idiarte Borda (1844–1897) | 21 March 1894 | 25 August 1897 | Colorado | 1894 | 17th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Assassinated. |
| 33 | Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (1837–1905) | 25 August 1897 | 10 February 1898 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 33 | Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (1837–1905) | 10 February 1898 | 15 February 1899 | Colorado | — | De facto president following a self-coup. Resigned. |
| 34 | José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856–1929) | 15 February 1899 | 1 March 1899 | Colorado | — | President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. |
| 33 | Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (1837–1905) | 1 March 1899 | 1 March 1903 | Colorado | 1899 | 18th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 34 | José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856–1929) | 1 March 1903 | 1 March 1907 | Colorado | 1903 | 19th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 35 | Claudio Williman (1861–1934) | 1 March 1907 | 1 March 1911 | Colorado | 1907 | 20th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 34 | José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856–1929) | 1 March 1911 | 1 March 1915 | Colorado | 1911 | 21st Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |
| 36 | Feliciano Viera (1872–1927) | 1 March 1915 | 1 March 1919 | Colorado | 1915 | 22nd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. |

### Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1919–present)

The Constitution of 1918 comes into force. According to the Constitution, the president is elected by direct popular election for a term of five years. He may be re-elected any number of times, but is ineligible for immediate re-election.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Elected | Notes | Vice President |
| 1918 Constitution (1918-1933) ||||||||||
| 37 | Baltasar Brum (1883–1933) | 1 March 1919 | 1 March 1923 | Colorado | 1919 | 23rd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1919 – 1 March 1921: Feliciano Viera 1 March 1921 – 1 March 1923: José Batlle y Ordóñez | Post not established |
| 38 | José Serrato (1868–1960) | 1 March 1923 | 1 March 1927 | Colorado | 1922 | 24th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1923 – 1 March 1925: Julio María Sosa 1 March 1925 – 1 March 1927: Luis Alberto de Herrera | Post not established |
| 39 | Juan Campisteguy (1859–1937) | 1 March 1927 | 1 March 1931 | Colorado | 1926 | 25th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1927 – 16 February 1928: José Batlle y Ordóñez 6 February 1928 – 1 March 1929: Luis Caviglia 1 March 1929 – 1 March 1931: Baltasar Brum | Post not established |
| 40 | Gabriel Terra (1873–1942) | 1 March 1931 | 31 March 1933 | Colorado | 1930 | 26th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1931 – 1 March 1933: Juan Pedro Fabini 1 March 1933 – 31 March 1933: Antonio Rubio Pérez | Post not established |
| Post not established ||||||||||
| 40 | Gabriel Terra (1873–1942) | 31 March 1933 | 18 May 1934 | Colorado | — | De facto president following a self-coup. |
| 40 | Gabriel Terra (1873–1942) | 18 May 1934 | 19 June 1938 | Colorado | — | Provisional president elected by the 3rd National Constituent Convention. | Alfredo Navarro |
| 41 | Alfredo Baldomir (1884–1948) | 19 June 1938 | 21 February 1942 | Colorado | 1938 | 27th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | César Charlone |
| – | Alfredo Baldomir (1884–1948) | 21 February 1942 | 1 March 1943 | Colorado | — | De facto president following a self-coup. | César Charlone |
| 1942 Constitution (1943-1952) ||||||||||
| 42 | Juan José de Amézaga (1881–1956) | 1 March 1943 | 1 March 1947 | Colorado | 1942 | 28th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Alberto Guani |
| 43 | Tomás Berreta (1875–1947) | 1 March 1947 | 2 August 1947 | Colorado | 1946 | 29th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. Died in office. | Luis Batlle Berres |
| 44 | Luis Batlle Berres (1897–1964) | 2 August 1947 | 1 March 1951 | Colorado | — | 30th Constitutional President. Vice-president under Berreta, assumed the presidency after his death. | Alfeo Brum |
| 45 | Andrés Martínez Trueba (1884–1959) | 1 March 1951 | 1 March 1952 | Colorado | 1950 | 31st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The post of President was replaced by the National Council of Government. | Alfeo Brum |
| 1952 Constitution (1952-1967) ||||||||||
| 46 | National Council of Government 1952–1955 | 1 March 1952 | 1 March 1955 | Colorado | — | The National Council of Government was headed by a President for the remaining of the 1951–1955 period: 1 March 1952 – 1 March 1955: Andrés Martínez Trueba | Post abolished |
| 47 | National Council of Government 1955–1959 | 1 March 1955 | 1 March 1959 | Colorado | 1954 | The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year: 1 March 1955 – 1 March 1956: Luis Batlle Berres 1 March 1956 – 1 March 1957: Alberto Fermín Zubiría 1 March 1957 – 1 March 1958: Arturo Lezama 1 March 1958 – 1 March 1959: Carlos Fischer | Post abolished |
| 48 | National Council of Government 1959–1963 | 1 March 1959 | 1 March 1963 | National | 1958 | The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year: 1 March 1959 – 1 March 1960: Martín Echegoyen 1 March 1960 – 1 March 1961: Benito Nardone 1 March 1961 – 1 March 1962: Eduardo Víctor Haedo 1 March 1962 – 1 March 1963: Faustino Harrison | Post abolished |
| 49 | National Council of Government 1963–67 | 1 March 1963 | 1 March 1967 | National | 1962 | The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year: 1 March 1963 – 1 March 1964: Daniel Fernández Crespo 1 March 1964 – 7 February 1965: Luis Giannattasio 7 February 1965 – 1 March 1966: Washington Beltrán 1 March 1966 – 1 March 1967: Alberto Héber Usher | Post abolished |
| 1967 Constitution First period in force (1967-1973) ||||||||||
| 50 | Óscar Diego Gestido (1901–1967) | 1 March 1967 | 6 December 1967 | Colorado | 1966 | 32nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. Died in office. | Jorge Pacheco Areco |
| 51 | Jorge Pacheco Areco (1920–1998) | 6 December 1967 | 1 March 1972 | Colorado | — | 33rd Constitutional President. Vice-president under Gestido, assumed the presidency after his death. | Alberto Abdala |
| 52 | Juan María Bordaberry (1928–2011) | 1 March 1972 | 27 June 1973 | Colorado | 1971 | 34th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Jorge Sapelli |
| Civic-military dictatorship (1973-1985) ||||||||||
| (52) | Juan María Bordaberry (1928–2011) | 27 June 1973 | 12 June 1976 | Colorado | — | 1973 Uruguayan coup d'état, start of the dictatorship between 1973 and 1985. Ousted from office. | Vacant |
| 53 | Alberto Demicheli (1896–1980) | 12 June 1976 | 1 September 1976 | Colorado | — | Appointed by the Armed Forces. Ousted from office. | Vacant |
| 54 | Aparicio Méndez (1904–1988) | 1 September 1976 | 1 September 1981 | National | — | Appointed by the Armed Forces for a term of 5 years. | Vacant |
| 55 | Gregorio Álvarez (1925–2016) | 1 September 1981 | 12 February 1985 | Military | — | Appointed by the Armed Forces. Resigned. | Vacant |
| 56 | Rafael Addiego (1923–2014) | 12 February 1985 | 1 March 1985 | Civic Union | — | President of the Supreme Court, appointed by the Armed Forces. | Vacant |
| Democratic Restoration (1985-) ||||||||||
| 57 | Julio María Sanguinetti (born 1936) | 1 March 1985 | 1 March 1990 | Colorado | 1984 | 35th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. First democratic President after the 1973-1985 dictatorship. | Enrique Tarigo |
| 58 | Luis Alberto Lacalle (born 1941) | 1 March 1990 | 1 March 1995 | National | 1989 | 36th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Gonzalo Aguirre Ramírez |
| 59 | Julio María Sanguinetti (born 1936) | 1 March 1995 | 1 March 2000 | Colorado | 1994 | 37th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Hugo Batalla |
| 59 | Julio María Sanguinetti (born 1936) | 1 March 1995 | 1 March 2000 | Colorado | 1994 | 37th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Hugo Fernández Faingold |
| 60 | Jorge Batlle (1927–2016) | 1 March 2000 | 1 March 2005 | Colorado | 1999 | 38th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Luis Antonio Hierro López |
| 61 | Tabaré Vázquez (1940–2020) | 1 March 2005 | 1 March 2010 | Broad Front | 2004 | 39th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Rodolfo Nin Novoa |
| 62 | José Mujica (born 1935) | 1 March 2010 | 1 March 2015 | Broad Front | 2009 | 40th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Danilo Astori |
| 63 | Tabaré Vázquez (1940–2020) | 1 March 2015 | 1 March 2020 | Broad Front | 2014 | 41st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Raúl Sendic Rodríguez |
| 63 | Tabaré Vázquez (1940–2020) | 1 March 2015 | 1 March 2020 | Broad Front | 2014 | 41st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Lucía Topolansky |
| 64 | Luis Lacalle Pou (born 1973) | 1 March 2020 | 1 March 2025 | National | 2019 | 42nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Beatriz Argimón |
| 65 | Yamandú Orsi (born 1967) | 1 March 2025 | Incumbent | Broad Front | 2024 | 43rd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. | Carolina Cosse |