Syrian Uruguayans (Arabic: السوريون في اوروجواي) are Uruguayan citizens of Syrian descent or Syrian-born naturalized Uruguayans.
Historical background
Uruguay has several thousands of people with Arab descent, whose ancestors came mostly from Lebanon; a minority came also from Syria.[1]
There were Muslims, Christians, and also some Jews among them.[2]
New wave of immigration in the 21st century
As of October 2014, Uruguay received a new immigration flow of Syrian people, this time as a consequence of the Syrian Civil War.[3] 42 Syrian people from five families were received by President José Mujica on 9 October.[4] Because of allegedly insufficient support by the government, some Syrians prostested in 2015 and requested visa to leave the country.[5] One family reportedly tried to leave Uruguay via Serbia in August 2015 but was sent back because of missing visa.[6]
