José ‘Pepe’ Mujica, died yesterday at age 89

Photo: ID126405359 @ Denis Makarenko – Dreamstime.com

Pepe Mujica will triumph if a generation emerges that sends dictators to flight at the service of big capital, of the invaders, of the military, of the gringos, of the protectors of the gangs that kill and disappear hundreds of thousands. NO MORE MILLIONAIRE REDEEMERS SHEDDING CROCODILE TEARS FOR PEPE MUJICA

Joel Ortega Juárez

By Latin America Daily Briefing

URUGUAY:  Uruguayan president José Mujica, died yesterday at age 89. The former guerilla turned global leftist leader was known for his humility and folksy charisma. (Guardian, New York Times)

In an interview last year, he said he would die happy. “Not happy to be dying, but because I set the bar high above me,” he said. “I didn’t spend my life just consuming things. I spent it dreaming, fighting, struggling.” (Financial Times)

Uruguay’s left-wing president, Yamandú Orsi, announced Mujica’s death from esophageal cancer: “President, activist, guide and leader,” Orsi wrote of his longtime political mentor. “Thank you for everything you gave us.” (Associated Press)

During his government, laws were passed that were fundamental to individual rights, mainly the decriminalization of abortion, equal marriage, and the regulation of cannabis consumption, notes Ámbito Uruguay.

Leftist leaders from across Latin America and Europe paid tribute to the politician described by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as an "example for Latin America and the entire world." (AFP)

Juan Manuel Karg describes “Pepe” as a “sharp-tongued” “philosopher-politician,” who died “after decades of battles: against dictatorship, against inequality, against possibilism, against the rigidity of coached politicians, against the TikTokization of politics, and the summary of the summary for social media.” (Cenital)

Juan Elman was one of the last journalists to sit down with Mujica for a long interview, last December. “Do you know where the difference between left and right can be seen?” Mujica asked, referring to Uruguayan political parties: “In these concrete figures. Since democracy was reestablished 40 years ago, they governed for a total of 25 years. In those 25 years, salaries and pensions didn't even increase by 13%. The Frente Amplio governed for 15 years. Do you know how much salaries and pensions increased? More than 80%. That's the difference. We're not revolutionaries who make socialism. But we do more to favor the weakest. What I told you are objective data from reality, which summarizes the history of Uruguay. And we won the elections because of that. They did things, but they didn't put pesos in the pockets of ordinary people.”