Coach Oscar Tabarez, who unveiled the squad for the regional tournament in Argentina starting Friday, left Rodriguez out of the 2010 World Cup because he was carrying a suspension that meant he would miss their first two group matches.
Now Rodriguez, a regular in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, gets his chance to help Uruguay try to win the South American title for the first time since 1995.
The squad is largely the same as last year's at the World Cup in South Africa where the twice world champions surprised with their progress to the last four after mediocre results for a half a century.
Uruguay are in Group C, based in the Andean cities of Mendoza and San Juan, with Peru, Chile and Mexico. They open against Peru on Monday.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Lazio), Andres Silva (Defensor Sporting), Juan Castillo (Colo Colo).
Defenders: Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Nacional), Mauricio Victorino (Cruzeiro), Andres Scotti (Colo Colo), Martin Caceres (Sevilla), Maximiliano Pereira (Defensor Sporting).
Midfielders: Alvaro Pereira, Cristian Rodriguez (both Porto), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Botafogo), Sebastian Eguren (Real Sporting), Diego Perez (Bologna), Walter Gargano (Napoli), Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax).
Forwards: Edinson Cavani (Napoli), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid), Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo), Abel Hernandez (Palermo).
'People will remember us because we got to No.1 in the world rankings and achieved great things - but our biggest regret is that we didn’t win anything': Ex-Everton star Kevin Mirallas opens up on 'honour' of being part of nation's golden generation
‘I’m sure we’d have finished in the top four or five if he hadn’t joined Chelsea in January. Him leaving damaged the team, but we couldn’t stand in his way’: Alan Curbishley reflects on failed Champions League dream after selling key player
