Uruguay: Man set himself on fire in front of government headquarters

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A 32-year-old man doused himself with flammable liquid and set himself on fire in front of the Uruguayan government headquarters in Montevideo. The occurrence was reported by the Uruguayan fire department spokesman Pablo Benítez. The man is now hospitalized in critical condition, while the reason for his tragic gesture is unknown.

The fire department spokesman released a note on Twitter stating that “at around 10:30 AM, a 32-year-old man who shortly before had reached Independence Square, in front of the Executive Tower (the seat of the Uruguayan government), poured a liquid on himself and then set fire to it with a lighter, quickly igniting himself.”

The man began to run “in order not to be caught by police and firemen serving in the Presidential Palace,” who finally extinguished the flames.

Subsequently, he was transferred to the National Burn Center (Cenaque) where “he was diagnosed with burns in 80% of his body” and is in “critical condition”.

According to a number of witnesses, the man sat under the Uruguayan flag outside the Executive Tower, drank mate tea and then set himself on fire.