The world’s most modest president, former Uruguayan leader Jose Mujica, has passed away

José “Pepe” Mujica, the former president of Uruguay, has died at the age of 90, the BBC has confirmed.

The official cause of death has not yet been released, but it is known that the development policy of esophageal cancer spread to the detriment of late last year. In an interview in January, Mujica entered treatment, considering his body too weak for chemotherapy and surgery.

The current president of Uruguay, Yamandu Orsi, expressed his condolences on social media, saying: “Thank you for everything you have given us and for your deep love for your people.”

Mujica served as president of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015. He gained international fame for his modesty: He lived in a simple house on the outskirts of the capital, drove an old Volkswagen Beetle, and donated most of his salary to charity, refusing privileges and protection.

The media called him “the poorest president in the world,” but Mujica has repeatedly emphasized that his choice is not about poverty but freedom from material values.

Details from the biography of the politician

His political career was eventful and complex. In his youth, Mujica joined the radical leftist Tupamaros guerrilla movement, which opposed the authoritarian government. In the 1970s, he was arrested four times and spent more than 14 years in prison, mostly in harsh conditions. After the restoration of democracy in 1985, Mujica received amnesty.

In 2005, he became Minister of Agriculture, and five years later, he took office as president. During his reign, there was economic growth, a decrease in poverty and unemployment, and the adoption of a number of progressive legislative initiatives, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and the decriminalization of abortion.

Mujica’s political career ended in 2020, but he remained a moral authority for Uruguayans and an influential figure in the region.

Born on May 20, 1935, in Montevideo, José Mujica left behind a legacy based on social justice, work, and personal responsibility. His passing was a significant loss for Uruguay and those who saw him as an example of authentic leadership without pathos.

There was also the death of the mayor of Lebedin, Sumy region, Oleksandr Baklikov.