Book presentation:*Some Time Ago Was Better, the Future Can Be*, by economist Isidoro Hodara, former professor of international trade at Universidad ORT Uruguay in Universidad ORT Uruguay.
- Date: June 2, 2026 Time: 12:30 Location: Pocitos Campus - Auditorium - 2633 España Blvd.
Uruguay has been celebrating “Nostalgia Night” for nearly half a century. It would seem there is a collective sentiment that the past was better, that the golden age has already passed (“those were the days”).
At its extreme, it implicitly invites us to resign ourselves, to not reclaim lost ground, and to meekly await the future instead of striving to build it (“twenty-five Aprils that will never return”).
This book, titled*The Past Was Better, the Future Can Be Too: Perspectives on Uruguay’s Foreign Trade*, has the following objectives:
- To understand when and how things were better in the past.
- To explore the reasons why they are no longer that way, and which of those reasons were our mistakes, if any.
- Why and under what conditions a better future is possible.
The opening remarks will be delivered by Dr. Jorge Grünberg, rector Universidad ORT Uruguay.
They exhibit
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Isidoro HodaraAn economist (University of the Republic), he supplemented his education with seminars at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. He has dedicated his professional life to international trade.
He served as Director General of Foreign Trade from 1985 to 1990. From then until 2018, he was a professor of international trade at Universidad ORT Uruguay. He served as president of Zonamerica from 1997 to 2023.
From 2002 to 2005, he was responsible for coordinating efforts to conclude a free trade agreement with the United States, on behalf of the Office of the President.
He is an Honorary Member of the National Academy of Economics.
He is currently president of the Uruguayan-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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Jorge Caumont, MABachelor of Arts in Economics and Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Chicago (United States).
He taught Advanced Microeconomics to fifth-year students at the University of the Republic and is a tenured professor of the Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Environment of Business at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
With extensive experience, he has advised companies, government ministries, and international organizations. He is also a columnist for El País and the author of publications on economic policy.
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Mag. Juan LabragaProfessor of International Trade at ORT University in Uruguay. Director of Trade Policy at the Ministry of Economy since 2016.
He holds a master's degree in International Economics (University of the Republic).