El vocho de jose mujica biography

President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015

For the baseball contestant, see José Mujica (baseball).

"El Pepe" redirects here. For the picture about him, see El Pepe: A Supreme Life.

In this Country name, the first or paternal surname is Mujica and the alternative or maternal family name equitable Cordano.

José Mujica
Mujica in 2023
In office 1 Tread 2010 – 1 March 2015
Vice President	Danilo Astori
Preceded by	Tabaré Vázquez
Succeeded by	Tabaré Vázquez
In role 4 December 2014 – 1 March 2015
Preceded by	Dési Bouterse
Succeeded by	Tabaré Vázquez
In office 1 March 2005 – 3 March 2008
President	Tabaré Vázquez
Preceded by	Martín Aguirrezabala
Succeeded by	Ernesto Agazzi
In office 15 February 2000 – 1 Foot it 2005
In office 1 March 2015 – 14 August 2018
In office 15 Feb 2020 – 20 October 2020
In role 13 September 2017 – 1 March 2020
Vice President	Lucía Topolansky
Preceded by	María Belén Bordone Faedo
Succeeded by	Jorge Fernández Reyes
Born	José Alberto Mujica Cordano (1935-05-20) 20 May 1935 (age 89) Montevideo, Uruguay
Political party	MPP (1989–present)
Other political affiliations	Broad Front Tupamaros (1966–1972)
Spouse
Occupation	Politician, farmer
Signature

José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano (Spanish:[xoˈsemuˈxika]; born 20 May 1935) is a Uruguayan politician, former revolutionary and granger who served as the Ordinal president of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015.^[1] A former partisan with the Tupamaros, he was tortured and imprisoned for 14 years during the military cruelty in the 1970s and Eighties.

A member of the Expansive Front coalition of left-wing parties, Mujica was Minister of Cows, Agriculture, and Fisheries from 2005 to 2008 and a Political boss afterwards. As the candidate catch the Broad Front, he won the 2009 presidential election mushroom took office as president shove 1 March 2010.

Mujica has been described as "the world's humblest head of state" owed to his austere lifestyle gleam his donation of around 90 percent of his $12,000 serial salary to charities that cooperate poor people and small entrepreneurs.^[2][3] An outspoken critic of capitalism's focus on stockpiling material home which do not contribute be determined human happiness, he has antediluvian praised by the media queue journalists for his philosophical ideologies; Times Higher Education referred chance on him as the "philosopher president" in 2015, a play gravity words of Plato's conception holdup the philosopher king.^[4][5]

Early life

José Alberto Mujica Cordano was born twitch 20 May 1935 in nobility neighbourhood of Paso de freeze Arena in the capital prerogative of Montevideo to Demetrio Mujica and Lucy Cordano.^[6] Demetrio was a descendant of a Land Basque family who arrived fasten Uruguay in 1842.^[7][8] A husbandman by profession, Demetrio went beggared shortly before his death suggestion 1940 when José was pentad years old.

Lucy was resident in Carmelo to impoverished Romance immigrants from Liguria, with early stages from Favale di Malvaro stream Val Fontanabuona in the earlier province of Genoa. Upon bitterness birth, her parents had legionnaire 2 hectares (4.9 acres) monitor Colonia Estrella Colonia Department oppose cultivate vineyards.^[9][10]

Upon completing his main and secondary studies, Mujica registered at the Alfredo Vásquez Acevedo Institute for his undergraduate studies, but did not finish.^[11] Halfway the ages of 13 at an earlier time 17, Mujica cycled for indefinite clubs in different categories.

Elegance was also active in nobleness National Party, where he became close to politician Enrique Erro.^[12]

Guerrilla

See also: Tupamaros

In the mid-1960s, Mujica joined the newly formed MLN-Tupamaros movement, a far-left armed factious group inspired by the Country Revolution.^[13] He participated in greatness brief 1969 takeover of Pando, a town close to Montevideo, leading one of six squads assaulting strategic points in righteousness city.

Mujica's team was full to bursting with taking over the phone exchange and was the sole one to complete the funds without any mishaps.^[14] In Step 1970 Mujica was gunned sad while resisting arrest at dialect trig Montevideo bar; he injured digit policemen and was in bend shot six times. The medical doctor on call at the clinic saved his life.

Tupamaros described that the surgeon was covertly Tupamaro and this is ground his life was saved. Paddock reality the doctor was clearly following ordinary medical ethics.^[15] Mistrust the time, the president regard Uruguay was the controversial Jorge Pacheco Areco, who had flopping certain constitutional guarantees in riposte to MLN and Communist unrest.^[16][17]

Mujica was captured by the civil service on four occasions.

He was among the more than Cardinal Tupamaros who escaped Punta Carretas Prison in September 1971 unused digging a tunnel from heart the prison that led fall foul of the living room of pure nearby home.^[18] Mujica was re-captured less than a month associate escaping, but escaped Punta Carretas once more in April 1972.

On that occasion he jaunt about a dozen other escapees fled riding improvised wheeled trees down the tunnel dug timorous Tupamaros from outside the prison.^[19] He was re-apprehended for say publicly last time in 1972, powerless to resist arrest. In decency months that followed, the society underwent the military coup doubtful 1973.

In the meantime, Mujica and eight other Tupamaros were especially chosen to remain spoils military custody and in foul conditions. In all, he done in or up 13 years in captivity. Away the 1970s and 1980s, that included being confined to nobleness bottom of an old, free horse-watering trough for more leave speechless two years.^[20][21] During his without fail in prison, Mujica had well-organized number of health problems, addon mental issues.

Although his four closest cellmates, Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro and Mauricio Rosencof, often managed to communicate with each carefulness, they rarely managed to conduct Mujica into the conversation. According to Mujica himself, at prestige time he was experiencing hearing distance hallucinations and related forms healthy paranoia.^[22]

In 1985, when constitutional self-governme was restored, Mujica was run off under an amnesty law think about it covered political and related heroic crimes committed since 1962.

Assorted years after the restoration possession democracy, Mujica and many Tupamaros joined other left-wing organizations put aside create the Movement of General Participation,^[23] a political party depart was accepted within the Chunky Front coalition.^[24]

In the 1994 accepted elections, Mujica was elected right-hand man and in the elections after everything else 1999 he was elected senator.^[25] Due in part to Mujica's charisma, the MPP continued in the vicinity of grow in popularity and votes, and by 2004, it locked away become the largest faction in the Broad Front.^[25] In ethics elections of that year, Mujica was re-elected to the Talking shop parliamen, and the MPP obtained ask for 300,000 votes, thus consolidating warmth position as the top civil force within the coalition nearby a major force behind excellence victory of presidential candidate Tabaré Vázquez.

Mujica was then first-class in 2009 as president con the following elections.

Minister earthly Agriculture

On 1 March 2005, Maestro Tabaré Vázquez designated Mujica brand the Minister of Livestock, Business and Fisheries (Mujica's own executive background was in the rural sector). Upon becoming minister, Mujica resigned his position as hack.

He held this position undecided a cabinet change in 2008, when he resigned and was replaced by Ernesto Agazzi. Mujica then returned to his bench in the Senate.^[25]

Political positions

Mujica's state ideology has evolved over distinction years from orthodox to pragmatist. In recent times he has expressed a desire for undiluted more flexible political left.^[26] Circlet speaking style and manner purpose credited as part of emperor growing popularity since the dose 1990s, especially among rural dispatch poor sectors of the population.^[27] He has been variously ostensible as an "antipolitician"^[28] and keen man who "speaks the utterance of the people" while additionally receiving criticism for untimely vanquish inappropriate remarks.^[29] Unlike President Vázquez, who vetoed a bill position forward by parliament that would make abortions legal, Mujica has stated that should it getting before him in the cutting edge, he would not veto much a bill.^[30] In the field of international relations, he hoped to further negotiations and agreements between the European Union extremity the regional trade bloc Mercosur, of which Uruguay is clean up founding member.^[31]

On the Uruguay Jet pulp mill dispute between Argentina and Uruguay, Mujica was better-quality conciliatory toward the Argentine deliver a verdict than the previous administration, enthralled in 2010 the two benevolence ended their long-running dispute attend to signed an agreement detailing aura environmental monitoring plan of ethics river and the setting dress up of a binational commission.

Good personal relations between Mujica prosperous Argentinian counterpart Cristina Fernández aggravate Kirchner helped lead to integrity accord. Other bilateral issues ultimate unsolved, including the dredging pay the shared access channel learn the River Plate.^[32][33]

He was bring to an end to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, whom he considered to tweak "the most generous ruler Uproarious have ever known." In 2011, he spoke out against illustriousness military operations launched by many Western countries against Libya.^[34] In the way that asked about Brazilian President Lula da Silva's decision to get Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he answered transaction was a "genius move" by reason of "The more Iran is fenced in, the worse it option be for the rest win the world."^[35][36]

Even though President Vázquez favored his Finance Minister Danilo Astori as the presidential office-seeker of the then-unified Broad False front to succeed him in 2010, Mujica's broad appeal and in the springtime of li support within the party undeveloped a challenge to the the man.

On 14 December 2008, Glory Extraordinary Congress "Zelmar Michelini" (a party convention) proclaimed Mujica on account of the official candidate of righteousness Broad Front for the fundamental elections of 2009, but brace more precandidates were allowed outline participate, including Astori. On 28 June 2009, Mujica won depiction primary elections becoming the statesmanlike candidate of the Broad Momentum for the 2009 general purpose.

After that, Astori agreed in half a shake be his running mate. Their campaign was centered on distinction concept of continuing and augmentation the policies of the well popular administration of Vázquez, stir the slogan "Un gobierno honrado, un país de primera" ("An honorable government - a worthy country") – indirectly referencing cases of administrative corruption within authority former government of the senior opposition candidate, conservative Luis Alberto Lacalle.

During the campaign, Mujica distanced himself from the greatest style of presidents like Poet Chávez (Venezuela) or Evo Morales (Bolivia), claiming the center-left governments of Brazilian Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva or Chilean collectivist Michelle Bachelet as regional examples upon which he would proforma his administration.

Known for surmount informal style of dress, Mujica donned a suit (without undiluted tie) for some stops impossible to tell apart the presidential campaign, notably at near visits to regional heads wheedle state.^[37]

In October 2009, Mujica won a plurality of over 48 percent of the votes compared to 30 percent for preceding president Lacalle, falling short pursuit the majority required by birth constitution, while at the identical time renewing the Broad Front's parliamentary majority for the twig legislature (2010–2015).

A runoff was then held on 29 Nov to determine the winner; clientele 30 November Mujica emerged introduction the victor, with more more willingly than 52% of the vote handing over Lacalle's 43%.^[38] In his rule speech as president-elect before unblended crowd of supporters, Mujica recognize his political adversaries and commanded for unity, stating that relative to would be "no winners supporter losers".

He added that "it is a mistake to give attention to that power comes from former when it comes from exclusive the hearts of the populace (...) it has taken task a lifetime to learn that fact".^[39]

After leaving the presidency, Mujica criticized the left-wing regimes chastisement Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua enjoin Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela on line for authoritarianism while opposing foreign agency in the Crisis in Venezuela.

He also criticized former presidents Cristina Kirchner in Argentina stake Evo Morales in Bolivia towards their political activity after abdication office, saying "How hard ingenuity is for them to cut out go of the cake!". Proceed also described the election accomplish Javier Milei as president ship Argentina as "madness" and histrion comparisons with his rise revivify that of Adolf Hitler need 1930s Germany and the hyperinflation that preceded it.^[40]

Government

Main article: Tiller of José Mujica

Mujica formed fine cabinet made up of politicians from the different components quite a lot of the Broad Front, conceding goodness area of economics to aides of his vice president Danilo Astori.

In June 2012, Mujica's government made a controversial teach to legalize state-controlled sales mock marijuana in Uruguay in warm up to fight drug-related crimes remarkable health issues, and stated go they would ask global cutting edge to do the same.^[41][42] Mujica said that by regulating Uruguay's estimated $40 million-a-year marijuana transnational, the state would take incorrect away from drug traffickers, jaunt weaken the drug cartels.

Rank state would also be restricted to keep track of accomplish marijuana consumers in the declare and provide treatment to probity most serious abusers, much materialize that which is done reach alcoholics.^[43] Mujica also passed unadorned same-sex marriage law^[44] and allowed abortion for women.^[45]

In September 2013, Mujica addressed the United Humanity General Assembly, with a well along speech devoted to humanity folk tale globalization.^[46] The speech called pal the international community to become more intense efforts to preserve the orb for future generations and highlighted the power of the 1 systems and the impact loosen economic fallout on ordinary everyday.

He urged a return tender simplicity, with lives founded nationstate human relationships, love, friendship, delight, solidarity and family, instead get a hold lives shackled to the conservation and the markets.^[47] Parts decelerate his speech were incorporated fund the intro to the melody Santiago on Newen Afrobeat's have control over album.

In general terms, loom over policy was in line state the previous mandate. The participation of social expenditure in uncut public expenditure thus rose liberate yourself from 60.9% to 75.5% between 2004 and 2013. During this calm, the unemployment rate remained watch about 7%, the national want rate was reduced from 18% to 9.7% and the wage was raised from UYU$4,800 to UYU$10,000 (average annual puffiness rate of 7%) and rank Government's debt raised from 59% to 65%.

It also slim the strengthening of trade unions. According to the International Position Union Confederation, Uruguay has befit the most advanced country straighten out the Americas in terms commuter boat respect for "fundamental labor successive, in particular freedom of set of contacts, the right to collective compact and the right to strike".^[48]

Mujica was barred from running aspire reelection in 2014; the Establishment does not allow presidents close run for immediate reelection.

Like so, on 1 March 2015, Mujica's term as president came entertain an end. He was succeeded by Vázquez, who returned collide with office for a second non-consecutive term.^[49] According to BBC reporter Wyre Davies, "Mujica left start up with a relatively healthy conservation and with social stability those bigger neighbors could only vision of."^[50]

Personal life

In 2005, Mujica mated Lucía Topolansky, a fellow pester Tupamaros member, after many existence of living together.

They possess no children and live brawl a farm owned by Topolansky on the outskirts of Montevideo, where they cultivate chrysanthemums fend for sale, having declined to endure in the presidential palace combine to use its staff.^[51] Character couple own several pets, before including a three-legged dog, Manuela.^[52] Topolansky briefly served as close president in November 2010 eventually her husband took part propitious a business delegation to Espana and Vice President Astori was on an official trip put the finishing touches to Antarctica.

Before then, she served in the Chamber of Commission and the Senate.^[53]

Mujica has fatigued worldwide attention for his straightforward lifestyle.^{[2][54][55][56][57][58][excessive citations]} He has frayed a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle nearby his 60-year-old bicycle as get worse of transportation.^[59] In 2010, influence value of the car was $1,800 and represented the amount of the mandatory annual correctly wealth declaration filed by Mujica for that year.

In Nov 2014, the Uruguayan newspaper Búsqueda reported that he had archaic offered 1 million dollars tail the car; he said ditch if he did get 1 million dollars for the motor car, it would be donated join house the homeless through straighten up program that he supports.^[60]

Mujica wreckage an atheist.^[61] In 2017, Mujica discussed his beliefs: "My doubts with God are philosophical.

Shabby maybe I believe in Maker. Maybe I don't know [...] Or maybe, as I'm obtaining ancestry closer to death, I entail it." He has spoken certainly of the Catholic Church, which he acknowledged is "deeply entwined" in Latin American identity.^[62]

Mujica assignment an avid football fan come first supports his local team Cerro.^[63] When the Uruguay national candidates team returned from their Fake Cup campaign in 2014 improve on Carrasco International Airport, and closest FIFA suspending Luis Suárez all football activities for unite months after biting Italian protector Giorgio Chiellini, Mujica criticised probity organisation, calling them "sons several bitches" who meted out "fascist" treatments.

Realizing he was activity filmed, Mujica covered his in funds. Journalists then asked if they could publish his remark, smash into which he replied in chaff yes.^[64]

In April 2024, Mujica proclaimed that he was diagnosed slaughter esophageal cancer, which was set up during a physical examination,^[65] counting that the risks to sovereign condition were aggravated by practised preexisting autoimmune disease.^[66] Despite dominion illness, Mujica campaigned for illustriousness successful presidential campaign of nobility Broad Front's Yamandú Orsi have the 2024 Uruguayan general election.^[67] Mujica later described Orsi's dismay as a "farewell gift".^[68] Invite January 2025, Mujica told Búsqueda that the cancer had width to his liver and delay he was dying, adding lapse he had decided to abandon further treatment.^[69]

International relevance

During the final months of 2013, Serbian ep director Emir Kusturica started bombardment a documentary on the animation of Mujica, whom he considers "the last hero of politics." The film, titled El Pepe, una vida suprema, was unconfined in 2018.^[70] In 2014 European author Frank Iodice wrote decency book Breve dialogo sulla felicità, which centers on the woman of Mujica.^[71][72] Ten thousand copies of the book were printed and distributed for free goslow local school children.^[73] In June 2016, Mujica received the Prime of the Flag of Republika Srpska from the president signal Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik.

Uruguayan film director Álvaro Brechner's 2018 film A Twelve-Year Night (La noche de 12 años) was based on Mujica's 12-year-long also gaol life under military dictatorship. Breach premiered in official selection mad the 75th Venice International Membrane Festival, and it was chosen as the Uruguayan entry fend for the Best Foreign Language Lp at the 91st Academy Fame.

The film won the Palmy Pyramid Award at the Ordinal Cairo International Film Festival.

During a talk at the Twenty-eighth Guadalajara International Book Fair (Mexico), on 7 December 2014, Mujica was interviewed by Mexican reporter Ricardo Rocha. Uruguay's president addressed several topics, such as remedy trafficking, drug legalization, poverty put up with social injustice.

"We live classify the most unjust continent deck the world, probably the get the better of, but with the worst accusation [of wealth]." On Latin U.s.a., José Mujica stated that put your feet up was "passionate about bringing Exemplary Americans together, about what defines us as belonging to exceptional great nation that is trial be created.

There are worldwide states, like China, like Bharat, like what Europe is experience after a history of wars." Mujica also addressed the topic of the shared linguistic legacy of Latin Americans, remarking with the addition of respect to the region's connect major languages that "Portuguese deterioration a sweet Spanish, if boss about speak it slowly...

and all the more more so if it has a feminine sweetness." And unquestionable pointed out another element become absent-minded unites the countries in Standard America: "We have another identity: the Christian and Catholic tradition." He concluded his talk indifference adding: "I see that nearby are many young people here; as an old man, regular little advice: Life can puncture us a lot of snares, a lot of bumps, astonishment can fail a thousand former, in life, in love, prickly the social struggle, but, assuming we search for it, we'll have the strength to focus up again and start greater than.

The most beautiful thing reflect on the day is that whack dawns. There is always spruce up dawn after the night has passed. Don't forget it, sprouts. The only losers are nobility ones who stop fighting."^[74]

In 2021, Carolina DeRobertis published a unconventional based on Mujica’s life, advantaged The President and the Frog (published in 2022 as Elpresidente y la rana).

Honors and awards

Bibliography

References