José Mujica, "world’s poorest president", dies at 89 Leaves behind rich legacy

José Mujica, the former Uruguayan president known globally for his austere lifestyle and deep-rooted ideals, died at age 89, the country's current leader, Yamandú Orsi, announced on May 14. Mujica, often referred to as the “world’s poorest president” due to his modest habits, had been battling oesophageal cancer.

“Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for your people,” Orsi wrote in a tribute on X, Caliber.Az reports via BBC.

Mujica’s political journey was as unconventional as his personal life. Once a leftist guerrilla who endured more than 14 years in prison — much of it in isolation and under torture — he rose to become Uruguay’s president from 2010 to 2015, leaving an indelible mark on both national and international politics.

As president, Mujica shunned the official mansion, opting to live with his wife, former guerrilla and senator Lucía Topolansky, in their modest farmhouse on the outskirts of Montevideo. He drove a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle, had no bodyguards or domestic staff, and donated most of his salary to charity. Yet he rejected the label “poor,” saying, “Poor are those who want more, because they’re in an endless race.”

During his presidency, Mujica spearheaded landmark reforms, including the legalisation of abortion, same-sex marriage, and the world’s first regulated recreational marijuana market. These moves, along with sustained economic growth averaging 5.4% per year, low unemployment, and reduced poverty, helped cement his popularity.

His legacy, however, is complex. While lauded for his authenticity and ethical leadership — he was never accused of corruption — critics pointed to rising public spending under his tenure and unresolved issues in the education sector.

Born in Montevideo and initially aligned with the National Party, Mujica became a founding member of the Tupamaros urban guerrilla movement in the 1960s, inspired by the Cuban Revolution. Captured multiple times, he survived being shot, escaped prison twice, and was later held as a “hostage” by the military dictatorship during Uruguay’s darkest years. He was released in 1985 when democracy returned.

After serving in both legislative chambers, Mujica became agriculture minister under the Frente Amplio coalition before winning the presidency in 2010 at age 74, joining the wave of leftist leaders across Latin America alongside figures like Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez. Yet Mujica maintained a distinctly pragmatic, independent approach.

He retired from public office in 2020 but remained an influential voice. His political heir, Yamandú Orsi, was elected president in 2024, with Mujica’s faction within Frente Amplio winning a historic number of seats.

In a final interview with the BBC last November, Mujica reflected calmly on mortality: “One knows that death is inevitable. And perhaps it's like the salt of life.”

To the world, he was a rare leader who lived by his principles. To Uruguayans, he was “Pepe” — flawed, bold, and deeply human.

By Tamilla Hasanova