Supporters walk behind the casket of Uruguay’s former President Jose Mujica during his funeral procession from the presidential palace to the National Assembly in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi, left, stands with Lucia Topolansky, widow of the late, former President Jose Mujica, next to his casket at the presidential palace in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A woman watches the funeral procession of former President Jose Mujica from the presidential palace to the National Assembly, next to graffiti that reads in Spanish: “Farewell dear old man,” in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
The funeral procession for the late former President Jose Mujica makes its way from the presidential palace to the National Assembly in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Mourners watch the casket of Uruguay’s former President Jose Mujica from the sidelines of his funeral procession from the presidential palace to the National Assembly in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
Mourners from all corners of Uruguay bid farewell to iconic former President Jos茅 Mujica
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) 鈥 Crowds poured into the streets of Uruguay’s capital on Wednesday to bid a poignant farewell to former President Jos茅 Mujica, a former guerrilla who became a pioneering leader and icon of the Latin American left, remembered most for his humility, simple lifestyle and ideological earnestness.
Supporters walk behind the casket of Uruguay’s former President Jose Mujica during his funeral procession from the presidential palace to the National Assembly in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) 鈥 Crowds poured into the streets of Uruguay’s capital on Wednesday to bid a poignant farewell to former President Jos茅 Mujica, a former guerrilla who became a pioneering leader and icon of the Latin American left, remembered most for his humility, simple lifestyle and ideological earnestness.
, affectionately known as 鈥淧epe,鈥 joined the procession as Mujica’s flag-furled coffin, borne on a gun carriage, made its way through downtown Montevideo. It culminated at the country’s parliament, where banners, wreaths and portraits of Mujica covered the lawn. 鈥淔arewell, Pepe鈥 was painted across the walls of the historic Legislative Palace.
in his home on the outskirts of Montevideo 鈥 a three-room farmhouse where he lived throughout his life and during his presidency (2010-2015), in rejection of Uruguay鈥檚 opulent presidential mansion.
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Chants of 鈥淧epe, dear, the people are with you!鈥 rose as the cortege passed through the streets on Wednesday. Uruguayans applauded from balconies, lined the sidewalks along the route and formed a long queue outside the parliamentary seat of Uruguay, waiting to pay their respects to Mujica’s closed casket.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like losing a family member,鈥 said Estela Piriz, a 69-year-old nurse who joined the procession.
Before the public viewing, government officials past and present gathered around his coffin in the stained glass hall. Mujica鈥檚 life partner and fellow politician, 80-year-old Luc铆a Topolansky, emerged from the palace with a stunned expression and left quickly before speaking to reporters.
Among those paying tribute to the late leader were Mujica鈥檚 political rivals 鈥 a clear sign that the leftist leader’s legacy transcended his politics.
鈥淲e had many disagreements, but in life it鈥檚 always better to focus on the good things,鈥 Former conservative President Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera, who governed from 1990-1995, told reporters outside the building.
Uruguay鈥檚 president, Yamand煤 Orsi, Mujica鈥檚 longtime interlocutor and prot茅g茅 from his left-wing Broad Front party, declared Wednesday-to-Friday national days of mourning in a presidential decree that praised Mujica鈥檚 鈥渉umanist philosophy,鈥 closing the government to all but necessary operations while flags flew at half-staff.
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A former mayor and history teacher, Orsi, like Mujica, shunned the presidential palace in favor of his family home and has sought to continue Mujica鈥檚 legacy of humility. Mujica made some of his last public appearances campaigning and casting his ballot for Orsi last fall.
Mujica would have turned 90 next week; he was born on May 20, 1935.
During his political career, Mujica earned admiration at home and cult status abroad for and same-sex marriage, enacting the region鈥檚 first sweeping abortion rights law and establishing Uruguay as a leader in alternative energy.
Before overseeing the transformation of his small South American nation into one of the world鈥檚 most socially liberal democracies as president, Mujica robbed banks, planted bombs and abducted businessmen as the leader of a violent leftist guerrilla group in the 1960s known as the Tupamaros.
Mujica was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in April 2024.
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