‘World’s Poorest President’ José Mujica Dies at 89

José “Pepe” Mujica, Uruguay’s former president and one of Latin America’s most unconventional leaders, has died at the age of 89. Known globally for his modest lifestyle and sharp critiques of consumerism, Mujica passed away after a battle with esophageal cancer, though his official cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

His death was announced by current President Yamandú Orsi on X (formerly Twitter), who wrote, “Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for your people.”

Mujica served as president from 2010 to 2015, during which he became a widely admired figure for turning down the privileges of office. He refused to live in the presidential palace, choosing instead to stay at his humble farmhouse outside Montevideo with his wife, former guerrilla and politician Lucía Topolansky. The couple lived without domestic staff and with minimal security. Mujica famously drove a light blue 1987 Volkswagen Beetle and donated most of his presidential salary to charity.

Despite his popular image as “the world’s poorest president,” Mujica once rejected the label, saying, “Poor are those who want more because they’re in an endless race.”

During his presidency, Mujica championed progressive reforms, most notably making Uruguay the first country to legalise the recreational use of marijuana. He was a staunch critic of consumer culture and promoted policies aimed at social equality, although his opponents criticized the rise in public spending and fiscal deficit under his leadership.

Mujica’s path to the presidency was forged through hardship and resistance. A former member of the Tupamaros guerrilla movement, he was imprisoned multiple times during Uruguay’s dictatorship. He was captured four times, shot six times in 1970, and escaped prison twice—once through a tunnel in a mass breakout involving over 100 prisoners. He later spoke openly about the psychological toll of his time behind bars, recalling delusions and conversations with ants during solitary confinement.

Reflecting on those years, Mujica once said that his happiest memory was the day he was released, adding, “Becoming president was insignificant compared to that.”

In recent years, as his health declined, Mujica became more reflective about mortality. In what would become his final interview with the BBC in November 2024, he acknowledged death calmly, saying, “One knows that death is inevitable. And perhaps it’s like the salt of life.”