José Mujica, former president of Uruguay, has died at the age of 89.
His death was announced by Yamandu Orsi, the current president of Uruguay on X.
The former president passed away after battling with esophageal cancer, although this illness has not been stated as the cause of his death.
He was the president of Uruguay from the year 2010 up until 2015. He earned the nickname “the world’s poorest president” because of the simple life he choose.
At the end of his tenure he moved into his home outside Montevideo with his wife Lucia Topolansky who was a former guerrilla fighter.
He donated most of his salary to charities and had a strong belief that people who constantly chased material things are the people who are truly poor.
Before becoming President, Mujica was a member of Tupamaros guerrilla group and was arrested several times. He escaped from prison twice with over a hundred prisoners.
Reflecting on his time in prison, the late president shared the difficulties he endured during that period and even recalled speaking with ants when he was in solitary confinement.
The day he was released was his happiest memory, he says: “Becoming president was insignificant compared to that.”
