[HOSTED.AP.ORG] Political analyst Daniel Chasquetti said the government underestimated cultural differences between Uruguay and the refugees' homeland and failed to take into account their limited job skills."And it's not like Uruguay is a country bursting with opportunities," Chasquetti said.
The economy of this nation of 3.3 million people is largely based on agricultural and textile exports, and about 40 percent of workers earn around $500 a month, according to a leading union.
In August one of the Syrian families tried to travel to Serbia, only to be detained 23 days at the airport in Istanbul because they didn't have the right documents. Ultimately they returned to Uruguay.
The refugees do not have Syrian passports and cannot get Uruguayan ones because they are not citizens. The government has given them national ID cards, but they're insufficient to cross many of the world's frontiers and Uruguay says it can't force other countries to accept the documents.
Their frustration at a boiling point, the Syrians protested for several days last month in front of the Uruguayan presidency to demand help getting to another country.
Then came the incident at Alshebli's home on Oct. 6, when he poured gasoline over himself in protest in the presence of officials from Uruguay's Human Rights Secretariat. According to a statement from the agency, he did so after being told that Uruguay doesn't have the authority to issue him a visa for another country.
It's unclear whether Alshebli intended to light himself on fire or simply scare the officials, who later filed a police complaint. Alshebli declined to discuss the incident, and the head of the rights body did not respond to requests for comment.
One of Alshebli's sons, 21-year-old Ibrahim, said his father simply lost his temper and didn't mean any harm. The elder Alshebli was briefly detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
Self-immolation has special symbolism today in the Middle East. A major catalyst for the Arab Spring, which began in 2011 in Tunisia, was a poor and frustrated fruit vendor who set himself on fire.
But many Uruguayans were appalled.
Lourdes Schneck, who serves the Uruguayan specialty of fried pies in downtown, said she wasn't sure whether to be angry with her government or the Syrians.
"I get the feeling they thought they were coming to a different class of country, with more wealth," said Schneck, who periodically hires one of Alshebli's teenage sons, 15-year-old Mohammed.
Jennyfer Lopez, a student in Juan Lacaze, thinks they never should have been taken in.
"Uruguay isn't in a financial position to be receiving refugees," she said, echoing a common criticism. "It was obvious they wouldn't be comfortable here."
Former President Jose Mujica, who left office in March, was the driving force behind inviting the Syrians and the ex-Guantanamo prisoners. Mujica, who was enjugged
Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages!
for 13 years during the country's dictatorship, took pride in opening Uruguay's doors to people in need.
His successor, Tabare Vazquez, has shown much less enthusiasm. In his inaugural speech, Vazquez said a "profound analysis" was necessary before Uruguay accommodated more Syrian refugees.
A second group of 72 refugees was supposed to come in February but never did. Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa has insisted they'll arrive later this year.