Uruguay’s ambassador to Sweden, Federico Perazza, has been suspended and recalled from Stockholm to Montevideo for “very serious” violations.
An investigation concluded on September 20 that Perazza had used embassy funds for personal expenses, abused embassy officials and misused an official car, driving it without a license. In addition to misusing other state resources, he stopped living in the ambassador’s residence without reporting it, which meant the government continued to pay rent and running costs while he was away.
The investigation found that Perazza’s use of the embassy’s credit card, and subsequent failure to reimburse the money he spent, was “systematic” and that he did not return the money “in a timely manner”.
He also failed to meet his “obligation of respect” by demonstrating “behavior contrary to a harmonious working atmosphere”, carrying out alleged acts that were “particularly violent and hostile”.
On one occasion, Perazza reportedly kicked and broke pieces of furniture. He is also accused of putting female embassy employees in “inappropriate and uncomfortable” situations.
The investigation is said to have started in February, following complaints from administrative officials. During the investigation, he was barred from the diplomatic mission’s offices in Stockholm, had to give up the embassy’s credit card and was banned from managing the mission’s bank accounts.
Perazza has now been ordered to return to Montevideo by October 15, in a resolution signed by President Luis Lacalle Pou and Foreign Minister Omar Paganini.
Perazza is the former Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay and previously served as ambassador to Paraguay.
Although his generally clean record and guilty plea were considered mitigating factors, his salary will be withheld for six months and he faces a six-year ban from representing Uruguay abroad. The six-year ban consists of the usual two years that all diplomats must spend in Uruguay after an assignment abroad, but the extra four years are a punitive measure.
Uruguay’s foreign ministry is also planning to ensure that Perazza pays back the money he used for personal expenses.
The Uruguayan embassy in Sweden also represents Uruguay diplomatically in Denmark and Norway.
When Perazza took up his post in February 2022, he said the role represented “a great professional challenge” for him and said he would “continue to expand and deepen the centuries-old relationship between Uruguay and the Scandinavian world”.
