Uruguayan Government Struggles with Ex-Guantanamo Detainee

After months of negotiating conflict, the Uruguayan government finally offered on October 11 to bring the family of ex-Guantanamo detainee Abu Wa’el Dhiab to South America. Originally detained under suspicion of ties to al-Qaeda, Dhiab was released from Guantanamo in 2014 with no remaining charges. Although he was not a member of the terrorist group, he has stated that he sympathizes with them following the torture he endured in Guantanamo. Upon his release from the notorious American prison, Dhiab, a Syrian national, was resettled as a refugee in Uruguay.

In Uruguay, Dhiab has posed a series of problems, causing conflict for the Uruguayan government. Most recently, Dhiab carried out a hunger strike lasting over two months in an attempt to pressure the Uruguayan government to help his wife and children flee war torn Syria.

Despite assurances from the government to bring Dhiab’s family to Uruguay, he continues to refuse food and drink. Accusing the Uruguayan government of breaking too many promises, Dhiab advocates for his right to settle in a new nation. However, Lebanon, Qatar, and Turkey have all refused his plea to become a refugee in their nations, and the prospect of his resettlement remains unclear. Nevertheless, Uruguay’s government recently approved visas for Dhiab’s family and agreed to provide economic aid to the family; this was still not enough for Dhiab.

Dhiab has been a recurring problem for Uruguay since he was placed there as a humanitarian action under former president José Mujica. In July 2016 Dhiab disappeared for weeks before turning up in Venezuela and being promptly returned to Uruguay by the Venezuelan government, causing a scandal in US policies with regards as to how former Guantanamo detainees are monitored.

As Dhiab refuses to remain in Uruguay and other nations refuse to grant him refugee status, the Uruguayan government faces a difficult situation with their ex-Guantanamo detainee.