Throughout his career, the politician became known for her simplicity: he gave up the presidential residence and continued to live in a small farm, and was going to work with a 1987 model Beetle
José Alberto Mujica Cordano, or simply. This is how the former senator and former president of, who died on Tuesday (13), at the age of 89, was known in the esophagus. Born on the outskirts of Montevideo in the 1930s, Mujica had to work early on after losing his father at the age of seven. Still in childhood, he sold flowers to help his mother and participated in cycling competitions in local clubs. The beginning in political militancy began early.
Trajectory
Under the influence of his uncle, Mujica joined the Centro-Right National Party in the 1950s, where he had the first contacts with congressmen, but shortly thereafter, came the shift to the left. After leaving the National Party, Pepe launched the Popular Union, which participated in the 1962 elections, with a little expressive result. The militancy soon took other contours. In 1964, Mujica created and participated in the Tupamaros National Liberation Movement, a far-left guerrilla. In 1970, under the orders of President Jorge Pacheco Areco, the Armed Forces expanded operations against the Tupamaros.
Prison and Political Resistance
In 1972, already under the government of Juan María Bordaberry, the country declared war against the movement. During this period, Mujica was arrested on four different occasions and even starred in two escapes considered historical from the Punta Carretes prison. The last arrest was in 1972, and lasted 13 years, never having undergone a trial. In June 1973, Bordaberry, with the support of the Armed Forces, dissolved the Uruguayan Congress, banned political parties and made union and student organizations illegal. The measure began a civic-military dictatorship in the country that lasted 12 years.
In jail, Pepe Mujica was torture and remained most of his time in isolation, developing a number of health problems. The activist was only released in 1985, with Uruguayan redemocratization. The story eventually became a film, represented in the biography “The 12 Years Night”, released in 2018 and winner at the Cairo International Festival in Egypt. Back in public life, Mujica founded the Movement of Popular Participation, Left Party that is part of the Broad Front. The former guerrilla became increasingly popular.
Apex of political life
In 1994, he was elected deputy by Montevideo. Five years later, he was elected senator and saw the MPP become the main group within the coalition. In 2004, for the first time in history, a left name won the elections in Uruguay, with Tabaré Vázquez. The Wide Front victory led Pepe Mujica to the post of Uruguayan Minister of Agriculture and Fishing. But the apex of the political career was yet to come. In 2009, with more than 9% advantage, Mujica was elected president of the country, for the period between 2010 and 2015.
As chief executive, Pepe was known as historical deeds. In the five years ahead of the country, he signed the decriminalization of abortion, the legalization of marijuana and the homosexual marriage. The period was also marked by major advances in the economy. Unemployment fell from 13 to 7%, the minimum wage rose 250%, foreign investments increased and poverty dropped considerably. The government was considered a success.
In 2015, Tabaré Vázquez returned to power and Mujica was elected senator for another five years, delivering office in October 2020. Throughout his career, and especially during the presidency, Mujica became known for simplicity. The politician gave up the presidential residence and continued to live in a small farm on the outskirts of Montevideo. 90% of president’s salary was donated to charity, and the vehicle used to work every day was a 1987 Beetle.
The clothes and all the belongings were portrait of an austere life without luxuries. The dialogue also marked political life. In the Legislature and the Executive, Mujica was seen as a cordial figure with opponents and often invited names from the right to barbecues on the farm.
President Lula with José Mujica in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 01/25/2023 (Ricardo Stuckert/PR)
Private life and last appearances
Since 2005, she was married to Lucía Topolansky, her partner since the 70’s, still in the time of armed struggle. The former first lady also joined political life, being elected senator and vice president. They had no children. In April 2024, Pepe Mujica announced the diagnosis of esophageal cancer, with risks aggravated by an autoimmune disease.
One of the last public appearances was in a video screened at the last rally of Yamandú Orsi, in the November elections last year. Already in early 2025, in conversation with a Uruguayan magazine, Mujica said that the disease had returned and spread throughout the body, choosing to give up the treatment. In the publication, he revealed that he preferred to spend the last months saying goodbye to his compatriots and taking care of the farm. In the final message, the words of José Alberto Mujica Cordano are valid for everyone: “Life is a beautiful adventure and a miracle.”
Posted by Carolina Ferreira
