Uruguay\u2019s former president Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica has died at the age of 89, according to a statement from President Yamand\u00fa Orsi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith deep sorrow, we announce that our friend Pepe Mujica has passed away,\u201d Orsi wrote in a post on Tuesday. \u201cPresident, activist, leader, and guide. We will miss you dearly, dear old man. Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for your people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mujica, who served as president of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015, earned international acclaim for his austere lifestyle, candid rhetoric, and steadfast commitment to social justice. Often called \u201cthe world\u2019s humblest president,\u201d Mujica famously donated most of his salary to charity, lived in a modest farmhouse outside Montevideo, and drove a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before entering politics, Mujica was a guerrilla fighter with the leftist Tupamaros movement in the 1960s and 70s. He was captured and spent over a decade in prison during Uruguay\u2019s military dictatorship, including long stretches in solitary confinement. After his release, he transitioned into politics and became a key figure in the Broad Front (Frente Amplio), a leftist coalition that reshaped Uruguayan politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During his presidency, Mujica oversaw major progressive reforms, including the legalization of same-sex marriage, abortion, and the state-regulated sale of cannabis\u2014making Uruguay the first country in the world to fully legalize marijuana. He championed environmental sustainability, economic equity, and human rights, often emphasizing the dangers of consumerism and the importance of simplicity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite his unconventional approach to power, Mujica remained one of Latin America\u2019s most respected public figures long after leaving office. He continued to speak publicly, support democratic movements, and serve as a moral voice on issues ranging from poverty to climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mujica had been battling cancer in recent years and publicly announced in 2020 that he was retiring from politics due to health concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe deeply mourn the death of our dear Pepe Mujica, an example for Latin America and the entire world for the wisdom, thoughtfulness, and simplicity that defined him,” wrote Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. “We express our sorrow and condolences to his family, friends, and the people of Uruguay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDear Pepe, I imagine you leaving us with concern about the bitter mess the world is in today. But if you left us anything, it was the unbreakable hope that we can make things better \u2014 \u2018step by step so we don\u2019t lose our way,\u2019 as you told us \u2014 and the unshakable conviction that as long as our hearts beat and injustice exists, it\u2019s worth continuing the fight,” said Chilean President Gabriel Boric. “Thank you for your life and your lessons. With you, forgetting will be impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brazil\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement expressing its deep sorrow over Mujica\u2019s death. It described the former Uruguayan president as a \u201cgreat friend of Brazil,\u201d an advocate of Latin American unity, and \u201cone of the most important humanists of our time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHis commitment to building a more just, democratic, and compassionate international order remains an example for all,\u201d the ministry said. It noted that in December 2023, during a visit to Montevideo, President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva awarded Mujica the National Order of the Southern Cross\u2014the highest honor Brazil grants to foreign citizens\u2014and called him \u201cthe most extraordinary person\u201d among the presidents he had known.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Uruguay\u2019s former president Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica has died at the age of 89, according to a statement from President Yamand\u00fa Orsi. \u201cWith deep sorrow, we announce that our friend Pepe Mujica has passed away,\u201d Orsi wrote in a post on Tuesday. \u201cPresident, activist, leader, and guide. We will miss you dearly, dear old man. Thank […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":54339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1007,3],"tags":[15,3444,1333],"class_list":["post-54338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-obit","category-world","tag-featured","tag-jose-pepe-mujica","tag-uruguay"],"yoast_head":"\n