Why do Uruguayans speak Spanish?

Answer 1

Uruguay's only landed border is with Brazil. Argentina's across the Uruguay River. The Spanish arrived in Uruguay in 1536. But the country had no gold or mineral wealth. So the Spanish didn't make settlement an immediate priority. Their main concern was to build forts against the Portuguese, and to start up some agricultural and livestock raising activities. That's what gave them the advantage, ultimately, over the Portuguese. For they ended up with cultural, economy, military and political interests to defend. In contrast, the Portuguese had a limited military and trading presence in Uruguay. And they had their hands full across the pond in Portugal, and with Brazil as Latin America's biggest country.

Answer 2

Uruguay was colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century, leading to the imposition of the Spanish language on the indigenous populations. Spanish became the dominant language through centuries of Spanish colonial rule and influence in Uruguay, resulting in it being the primary language spoken in the country today.