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Jordan Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Latin America mourns world's 'poorest president' Mujica, dead at 89
MONTEVIDEO — Tributes poured in from across Latin America on Tuesday following the death of Uruguay's former president Jose "Pepe" Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. The 90-year-old — who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity -- lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. "With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend," Uruguay's current leader, Yamandu Orsi, posted on X. "Pepe, eternal!" a cyclist shouted out minutes later, while passing government buildings. Mujica earned the moniker "world's poorest president" during his 2010-2015 presidency for giving away much of his salary to charity and living a simple life on his farm, with his fellow ex-guerrilla wife and three-legged dog. The government announced three days of national mourning and said his body would be taken to the legislative palace on Wednesday to lie in state. Activists from Mujica's Movement of Popular Participation (MPP) gathered outside the party's headquarters to make giant banners marked "Hasta siempre, viejo querido" (Until forever, old friend). Leftist leaders from across Latin America and Europe paid tribute to the man described by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as an "example for Latin America and the entire world". Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva echoed that message. "His human greatness transcended the borders of Uruguay and his presidential mandate. The wisdom of his words formed a true song of unity and fraternity for Latin America," Lula said in a statement. 'Like ordinary people' At the Madison, an unassuming corner cafe in central Montevideo, waiter Walter Larus recalled Mujica popping in for a steak shortly after winning office. "He felt and lived like ordinary people, not like today's politicians who seem rich," the 53-year-old said. In a 2012 AFP interview, Mujica denied being poor, saying his was, rather, a life of "austerity". "I need little to live," he said. He transformed Uruguay, a prosperous country of 3.4 million people best known for football and ranching, into one of Latin America's most progressive societies. In later life, he was disappointed at the authoritarian drift of some left-wing governments, accusing repressive leaders in Venezuela and Nicaragua of "messing things up". He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in May last year, and it spread to his liver. His wife Lucia Topolansky said this week he was receiving palliative care. 'Humility and greatness' He continued to campaign for the left after his cancer diagnosis, working fervently on the successful election campaign of history teacher Orsi, his political heir. Former Bolivian president Evo Morales hailed his "experience and wisdom", while Brazil's government bid farewell to "one of the most important humanists of our time".Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Mujica had lived for "a better world," while Guatemala's Bernardo Arevalo held him up as "an example of humility and greatness." China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian hailed Mujica as a "renowned leader" and a "good friend of the Chinese people." From prison to politics The blunt-spoken, snowy-haired farmer was a fierce critic of consumerism. He attended official events in sandals and continued living on his small holding on the outskirts of Montevideo, where his prized possession was a 1987 Volkswagen the 1960s, he co-founded the Marxist-Leninist urban guerrilla movement Tupamaros, which started out robbing from the rich to give to the poor but later escalated its campaign to kidnappings, bombings and assassinations. During those years, Mujica lived a life of derring-do. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and took part in a mass prison breakout. But when the Tupamaros collapsed in 1972, he was recaptured and spent all of Uruguay's 1973-1985 dictatorship in prison, where he was tortured and spent years in solitary confinement. After his release, he threw himself into politics and in 1989 founded the MPP, the largest member of the leftist Broad Front coalition. Elected to congress in 1995, he became a senator in 2000 and then agriculture minister in Uruguay's first-ever left-wing government. As president, he was praised for his fight against poverty but criticised for failing to rein in public spending. He is survived by his wife Topolansky. They had no children. Mujica asked to be buried on his farm, next to his dog.
BreakingNews.ie
14-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Mourners from all corners of Uruguay bid farewell to former leader Jose Mujica
Crowds poured into the streets of Uruguay's capital on Wednesday to bid a poignant farewell to former president Jose Mujica, a guerrilla fighter-turned-pioneering leader who became a hero of the Latin American left. Thousands of people mourning the death of their former leader, affectionately known as 'Pepe', joined the procession as Mr Mujica's flag-covered coffin, borne on a gun carriage, made its way through Montevideo toward the country's parliament over the course of three hours. Advertisement Mr Mujica died on Tuesday at the age of 89 in his home on the outskirts of Montevideo — a three-room farmhouse where he lived throughout his life and during his presidency (2010-2015), in rejection of Uruguay's opulent presidential mansion. Chants of 'Pepe, dear, the people are with you' rose as the cortege passed. Uruguayans lined the pavements along the route and applauded from balconies. Uruguayan president Yamandu Orsi (Santiago Mazzarovich/AP) Uruguay's president, Yamandu Orsi – Mr Mujica's long-time interlocutor and protege from his left-wing Broad Front party, declared Wednesday-Friday as national days of mourning in a presidential decree that praised Mr Mujica's 'humanist philosophy', closing the government to all but necessary operations while flags flew at half-mast. A former mayor and history teacher, Mr Orsi, like Mr Mujica, shunned the presidential palace in favour of his family home and has sought to continue Mr Mujica's legacy of humility. Advertisement Mr Mujica made some of his last public appearances campaigning and casting his ballot for Mr Orsi last autumn. Accompanied by current and former officials — and Mr Mujica's life partner and fellow politician, 80-year-old Lucia Topolansky — Mr Orsi launched the funeral procession in a private ritual at the presidential headquarters, draping a silk national flag over Mr Mujica's coffin. Mr Mujica would have turned 90 next week; he was born on May 20, 1935. During his political career, Mr Mujica earned admiration at home and cult status abroad for legalising marijuana and same-sex marriage, enacting the region's first sweeping abortion rights law and establishing Uruguay as a leader in alternative energy. Advertisement Before overseeing the transformation of his small South American nation into one of the world's most socially liberal democracies as president, Mr Mujica robbed banks, planted bombs and abducted businessmen as the leader of a violent leftist guerrilla group in the 1960s known as the Tupamaros. Mr Mujica was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in April 2024.
Al Bawaba
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Jose Mujica, ex-Uruguayan president, dies at 89
BOGOTA, Colombia - Uruguay's former President Jose 'Pepe' Mujica, known for his humble lifestyle and socially progressive administration, has died at the age of 89. Mujica had been diagnosed with cancer and had entered the terminal phase of his illness in recent weeks. His death was announced Tuesday by Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi. "With deep pain, we announce that our comrade Pepe Mujica has passed away," Orsi said on X. "President, activist, a guiding figure, and a driving force. We are going to miss you, dear old man. Thank you for everything you taught us and for your profound love for your people." Born on May 20, 1935, Mujica co-founded the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional-Tupamaros (MLN-T) in the 1960s, an urban guerrilla group influenced by the Cuban revolution. Captured in 1970, he escaped and was subsequently arrested in 1972 and remained imprisoned until 1985. Mujica endured 13 years in prison, where he was tortured and survived inhumane conditions, including prolonged periods of isolation in bunkers or cages. He was freed under an amnesty granted in 1985 coinciding with the end of Uruguay's military regime. Before becoming president, Mujica served as a deputy and senator, and in 2005, he was appointed Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries in the first government of the Frente Amplio, Uruguay's leftist coalition. During his presidential term from 2010 to 2015, the Uruguayan economy achieved an average annual growth rate of 5.4%, poverty levels declined, and unemployment remained low. Upon leaving office, Mujica enjoyed a high level of domestic popularity, approaching 70% in the small country of more than 3 million people. Beyond Uruguay's borders, 'Pepe' Mujica garnered significant international recognition, becoming an emblem of unconventional leadership and humility. He was globally renowned not just for his past as a guerrilla fighter or for his progressive policies, which included legalizing abortion, marijuana and same-sex marriage, as well as the resettlement of war refugees from Afghanistan, but also became known for his strikingly austere lifestyle and his incisive critiques of consumerism and global inequality. Throughout his presidency, he famously chose not to reside in the presidential mansion, breaking with the tradition of his predecessors. Instead, he continued to live with his wife, Lucía Topolansky—a fellow politician and former guerrilla member—in their modest home on the outskirts of Montevideo. Known for his informal attire and minimal security detail, Mujica famously continued to drive his sky-blue 1987 Volkswagen Beetle and donated a significant portion of his presidential salary to charities that benefited poor people and small entrepreneurs. Mujica's death has been met with widespread tributes and condolences from across Uruguay and the international community.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Uruguay's former leader Jose Mujica, tractor-driving leftist president, dies aged 89
Uruguay's former president Jose 'Pepe' Mujica has died aged 89. His humble lifestyle, including giving away most of his salary to charity and driving around in a sky blue Volkswagen Beetle, won him legions of fans. Dubbed the world's 'poorest president' while in office from 2010 to 2015, Mujica eschewed the trappings of success, continuing to live on his small farm with his wife and three-legged dog Manuela. He transformed Uruguay, best known for football and cattle ranching, into an outpost of progressive politics on a continent plagued by corruption and authoritarian governments. A former guerilla with a life story that read like a thriller, he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in May 2024 and underwent aggressive radiation therapy. In January, he announced he was dying after the cancer spread to his liver. This week, his wife Lucia Topolansky said he was receiving palliative care. From Chicago to the Vatican – how the world got its first US-born Pope A few months ago, Mujica had summoned his last reserves to campaign for his political heir Yamandu Orsi, who was elected president in November. Orsi's win, Mujica told Agence France-Presse in an interview after the vote, was 'something of a reward for me at the end of my career'. As president, he put Uruguay on the map by legalising abortion and gay marriage, and by making it the first country in the world to allow recreational cannabis use in 2013. He was even honoured with his own strain, 'Mujica Gold,' in 2015, despite considering marijuana a 'dangerous addiction'. Mujica – who could wax lyrical about nature, consumerism and love – attributed his simple life and philosophical musings to the 13 years he spent in prison for his role in a leftist rebel group. Supporters gather outside a Movimiento de Participación Popular political party headquarters, decorated with a photo of late former Uruguayan president Jose Mujica. Photo: AP 'We were imprisoned and alone, so to survive, we had to think and rethink a lot,' he said in a Netflix documentary on his life. Without that experience, he said, he may have been more 'frivolous'. He was disappointed at the authoritarian drift of some left-wing governments in Latin America, accusing repressive leaders in Venezuela and Nicaragua of 'messing things up'. Mujica, a descendant of Basque and Italian immigrants, was born in Montevideo on May 20, 1935, according to his identity document, although he claimed to be a year older. He was mostly raised by his mother, whom he described as 'a very tough lady', after the untimely death of his father, and grew flowers to sell at fairs to help bring in money. Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi released on bail, challenges deportation Farming was his first love, though he was passionate about politics. He got his start as a member of the conservative National Party, but in the mid-1960s joined the MLN-Tupamaros, an urban guerilla group inspired by the Cuban revolution that sought to overthrow the state and bring about socialist change. The group carried out Robin Hood-like 'expropriations', in Mujica's own words, like robbing banks to give to the poor, before escalating to kidnappings, bombings and assassinations. Mujica sustained several bullet wounds, was arrested four times and escaped twice from prison – including in the audacious 1971 breakout of scores of inmates from Montevideo's Punta Carretas prison, now a swanky shopping centre. Recaptured in 1972, he served 13 years in jail, much of it in solitary confinement, during a time when Uruguay was under a military dictatorship. Newly sworn-in Uruguayan president Jose Mujica waves to the crowd in the streets of Montevideo on the day of his inauguration on March 1, 2010. Photo: AFP In 1985, he was pardoned and slowly entered politics, first as an MP and then as a senator. He served as minister of livestock, agriculture and fisheries in Uruguay's first left-wing government for three years before running for the presidency in 2009. While beloved by many for his attempts as president to tackle poverty and to turn Uruguay into one of the world's most stable democracies, critics faulted Mujica for his failure to implement education reform and rein in government spending. He was known for his candid, sometimes less-than-diplomatic, remarks. A live microphone once caught him saying: 'This old hag is worse than the one-eyed guy.' It was a reference to ex-Argentine president Cristina Kirchner and her late husband and former president Nestor Kirchner, who had a lazy eye. Pope Francis dies at 88: first Latin American pope advocated for peace and compassion After serving a single term as president, he was reelected to the Senate, but stepped down from active politics in 2020, due to the risks Covid-19 posed to his weakened immune system. He remained a key political figure, with his farm on the outskirts of Montevideo visited by a string of local and international leaders. In an August 2024 interview with The New York Times, he said he would like to be remembered as a 'crazy old man'. He is survived by his wife, a fellow ex-guerilla whom he married in 2005. He said his one regret in life was not having had children. Mujica had asked to be buried on his farm, under a tree he himself planted, alongside his dog Manuela, who died in 2018 at age 20.
South Wales Guardian
14-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Former Uruguayan president Jose Mujica dies at 89
He was a one-time Marxist guerrilla and flower farmer whose radical brand of democracy, plain-spoken philosophy and simple lifestyle fascinated people around the world. Mr Mujica died four months after he decided to forgo further medical treatment for oesophageal cancer and enter hospice care at his three-room ranch house on the outskirts of Montevideo, Uruguay's capital. 'President, activist, guide and leader,' Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote of his longtime political mentor on social media. 'We will miss you greatly, dear old man. Thank you for everything you gave us and for your profound love for your people.' He had been under treatment for cancer of the oesophagus since spring 2024 when the affliction was diagnosed. His doctor reported that radiation had eliminated much of the tumour but Mr Mujica's autoimmune disease complicated his recovery. In January, his doctor announced that the cancer in his oesophagus had returned and spread to his liver. As leader of a violent leftist guerrilla group in the 1960s known as the Tupamaros, Mr Mujica robbed banks, planted bombs and abducted businessmen and politicians on Montevideo's streets in hopes of provoking a popular uprising that would lead to a Cuban-style socialist Uruguay. A brutal counterinsurgency and ensuing right-wing military dictatorship that ruled Uruguay between 1973 and 1985 sent him to prison for nearly 15 years, 10 of which he spent in solitary confinement. During his 2010-15 presidency, Mr Mujica, widely known as Pepe, oversaw the transformation of his small South American nation into one of the world's healthiest and most socially liberal democracies. He earned admiration at home and cult status abroad for legalising marijuana and same-sex marriage, enacting the region's first sweeping abortion rights law and establishing Uruguay as a leader in alternative energy. Through his remarkable political journey, he captivated audiences with his humble tone, austere lifestyle and ideological earnestness. Shunning the pomp and circumstance of the presidency, he drove a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle, wore rumpled cardigans and leather sandals with black socks, and lived in a tiny tin-roofed house outside Montevideo, where for decades he tended to chrysanthemums to sell in local markets. 'This is the tragedy of life, on the one hand it's beautiful, but it ends,' he told the Associated Press from his farmhouse in October 2023. 'Therefore, paradise is here. As is hell.' Tributes poured in from presidents, world leaders and ordinary people from around the world. The first to share remembrances were allied leaders who recalled not only Mr Mujica's accomplishments but also his status as one of the last surviving lions of the now-receding Latin American left that peaked when he assumed office two decades ago. Colombian President Gustavo Petro praised him as a 'great revolutionary', Bolivia's former socialist president Evo Morales said he 'and all of Latin America' are in mourning, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called Mr Mujica 'an example for Latin America and the entire world'. Mr Mujica never attended university and did not finish high school, but politics piqued his interest as early as adolescence, when the young flower farmer joined the progressive wing of the conservative National Party, one of the two main parties in Uruguay. His dramatic switch to urban guerrilla warfare came in the 1960s as leftist struggles swept the region after the Cuban Revolution. He and other student and labour radicals launched the Tupamaros National Liberation Movement, which quickly gained notoriety for its Robin Hood-style exploits aimed at installing a revolutionary government. By 1970 the government cracked down, and the Tupamaros responded with violence, planting bombs in well-heeled districts and attacking casinos and other targets, ultimately killing more than 30 people. Mr Mujica was shot six times in a firefight with police in a bar, and helped stage a famous prison break and twice escaped custody, but in 1973 the military seized power, unleashing a reign of state terror on the population that resulted in the forced disappearance of 200 Uruguayans and the imprisonment of thousands. During his time in prison, he endured torture and long stretches in solitary confinement, often in a hole in the ground. After power returned to civilians in 1985, Mr Mujica emerged from prison under an amnesty that covered the crimes of the dictators and their guerrilla opponents. He entered mainstream politics with the Broad Front, a coalition of radical leftists and more centrist social democrats. Elected to parliament in 1995, he astonished parking attendants and the general public by arriving to work on a moped with ragged jeans and an unkempt beard. Rapidly rising through the party ranks, he charmed the country with his low-key way of living and penchant for speaking his mind. In 2008, the Broad Front chose him as their presidential candidate, and a year later, he was elected Uruguay's 40th president with 52% of the vote, capping an extraordinary political transformation. His wife, Lucia Topolansky, a former co-revolutionary guerrilla member who was also imprisoned before becoming a prominent politician, bestowed the presidential sash on Mr Mujica at his inauguration. They married in 2005 and had no children. 'I've been with him for over 40 years, and I'll be with him until the end,' she told a local radio station on Sunday as Mr Mujica's condition worsened. Pepe's modest and spontaneous style — delivering presidential announcements in sandals, distributing pamphlets in the streets against machismo culture, lunching in Montevideo bars — made him a populist folk hero and token of global fascination. 'They made me look like a poor president, but they are the poor ones … if you have to live in that government house with four floors just to have tea,' he told the AP. As president, he presided over a period of comfortable economic growth, rising wages and falling poverty. In speeches, he pushed Uruguayans to reject consumerism and embrace their nation's tradition of simplicity. Under his watch, the small nation became known worldwide for the strength of its institutions and the civility of its politics — rare features most recently on display during Uruguay's 2024 presidential vote that vaulted Mr Orsi to power over the conservative incumbent.
