Best of Uruguay

Everywhere we went, we had the pleasure to meet kind, social, humble, and talkative Uruguayans. The lifestyle and values of their people seem strongly connected to agriculture and nature. They always seem down to earth, unpretentious, proud, and attached to their culture. Their president Jose Mujica, who is admired and respected by so many people around the world, is without a doubt a great representative of what Uruguayans strive for. We sent some emails to the president’s office with the hope of having the opportunity to meet Jose Mujica in person and learn more about him, but unfortunately we did not receive a reply. Regardless of not having a chance to shake hands with “Pepe,” how most Uruguayans call him, we admire his resiliency, honesty, and leadership. We consider him a role model of hope and peace for many other nations in the process of overcoming a history of violence and think of him as “the Mandela of Latin America.” Jose Alberto Mujica Cordano was born in Montevideo on May 20, 1935. During the seventies, the times of military dictatorship in Uruguay, Mujica became an active member of the Movement of National Liberation – Tupamaros, a guerrilla group that fought against the military regime. During his years in the guerrilla, Jose Mujica was wounded and arrested 4 times. He spent a total of 15 years of his life in prison, the longest period being 11 consecutive years since 1972. During the years Mujica spent in jail he was constantly maintained in asylum and was victim of multiple forms of physical and psychological abuse. Jose Mujica was one of the hostages that the military dictatorship kept with a threat of execution if the Tupamaros acted against their regime. Mujica only recovered his freedom in March 8, 1985 after democracy was reestablished in Uruguay and then his formal path in politics began. During his performance in different positions in the government, Mujica has always been characterized by his honesty and loyalty to his principals. No torture or power has been strong enough to corrupt his heart and ideals. As president of Uruguay since 2009, he resigned to live under the roof of the luxurious Presidents House. Instead, he opted to stay in his “chacra”, a small and humbled farm house with his wife Lucía Topolansky, who is a senator, and their dog with tree legs, Manuela. Mujica donates about 80% of his salary to humanitarian organizations and his wise choices have given him the not too accurate nickname of “the poorest president in the world.” The truth is that Jose Mujica is one of a kind. His capacity to rebound from the horrors of war and to become a leader of peace inspired us. Pepe Mujica’s story is without question a tale that should be followed and the greatest example we could give you of how wonderful Uruguayans can be!