Former President of Uruguay, José Mujica, widely known as the “world’s poorest president,” has passed away at the age of 89. Affectionately called “Pepe,” Mujica served as Uruguay’s president from 2010 to 2015 and became globally admired for his remarkably humble lifestyle. The news was reported by the BBC.
Uruguay’s current President Yamandú Orsi confirmed Mujica’s death on social media platform X, writing, “Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for the people.”
While the exact cause of death was not disclosed, Mujica had reportedly been battling esophageal cancer for several years.
Despite holding the nation’s highest office, Mujica lived a simple life and was known for his strong stance against consumerism and his advocacy for social reform. His integrity and authenticity earned him admiration across Latin America and beyond.
In a country of just 3.4 million people, Mujica’s global popularity was exceptional. Many viewed him as a leader apart from the traditional political elite, although he was deeply involved in politics for much of his life.
A former guerrilla fighter, Mujica once said that outside politics, he enjoyed reading books and working the land—passions he inherited from his mother. He was raised in a middle-class family in the capital city of Montevideo.
In his youth, Mujica was a member of Uruguay’s traditional National Party. In the 1960s, he co-founded the leftist urban guerrilla group Tupamaros National Liberation Movement (MLN-T), which was influenced by the Cuban Revolution and international socialism. The MLN-T engaged in acts of sabotage, kidnappings, and executions. Mujica always maintained that he was never involved in any killings.
Despite Uruguay being a constitutional democracy at the time, left-wing factions accused the government of authoritarianism and launched underground resistance. Mujica was arrested four times during this period. In 1970, he was shot six times and narrowly survived. He escaped from prison twice, including once through a tunnel with 105 other MLN-T members—the largest prison break in Uruguayan history.
After a military coup in 1973, Mujica was held as one of the “Nine Hostages” and endured over 14 years in prison during the 1970s and 1980s. He suffered severe physical and psychological torture, including prolonged solitary confinement. He was released in 1985 when democracy was restored in Uruguay.
Reflecting on his time in prison, Mujica once said he began to lose his sanity, experiencing hallucinations and engaging in bizarre behavior. He described the day of his release as the happiest moment of his life—greater, even, than the day he became president.