Full Answer
Where was Jose Mujica born?
Montevideo, UruguayJosé Mujica / Place of birth
What is Jose Mujica's full name?
José Alberto Mujica CordanoJosé Mujica / Full name
When was Jose Mujica born?
May 20, 1935 (age 87 years)José Mujica / Date of birth
Who is the poor prime minister?
José MujicaOther political affiliationsBroad Front Tupamaros (1966–1972)Spouse(s)Lucía Topolansky ( m. 2005)OccupationFarmerSignature26 more rows
How old is Jose Mujica?
87 years (May 20, 1935)José Mujica / Age
Is Uruguay a poor country?
With a population of more than 3.4 million and about 60% of them comprising the middle class, Uruguay stands as one of the most economically stable countries in the region. In fact, Uruguay has the lowest poverty rate in South America and ranks high on such well-being indices as the Human Development Index.
What language does Uruguay speak?
SpanishUruguay / Official languageSpanish is spoken throughout Uruguay, although in Rivera and other borderland towns close to Brazil an admixture of Portuguese and Spanish can be heard, often in a slang called portuñol, from the words português and español.
Where does the name Uruguay come from?
Uruguay is one of the safest countries on the continent. The name “Uruguay” comes from the language Guaraní and has a few different translations such as “river where the bird lives,” “river of the painted birds,” “river of the snails,” “winding river.”
Is Uruguay a poor country?
With a population of more than 3.4 million and about 60% of them comprising the middle class, Uruguay stands as one of the most economically stable countries in the region. In fact, Uruguay has the lowest poverty rate in South America and ranks high on such well-being indices as the Human Development Index.
What language does Uruguay speak?
SpanishUruguay / Official languageSpanish is spoken throughout Uruguay, although in Rivera and other borderland towns close to Brazil an admixture of Portuguese and Spanish can be heard, often in a slang called portuñol, from the words português and español.
Who is famous in Uruguay?
The national hero of Uruguay is José Gervasio Artigas (1764–1850), who led the fight for independence against Brazil and Portugal. Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1786? –1853) directed the uprising that established Uruguay's independence in 1828. The nation's first two presidents were Gen.
How did Luis Lacalle Pou become President?
Lacalle Pou, a member of the National Party took office following his victory over the Broad Front nominee Daniel Martínez in the second round of the 2019 general election, which ended the 15-year leftist rule in the country.
Who is José Mujica?
José Mujica, in full José Alberto Mujica Cordano, (born May 20, 1935, Montevideo, Uruguay), Uruguayan politician who served as president of Uruguay (2010–15) after being long imprisoned for his guerrilla activities with the Tupamaro revolutionary organization.
When was Mujica sworn in as the Senate leader?
In the process, Mujica was sworn in as Senate leader in February 2005. He also served as minister of agriculture (2005–08) in Vázquez’s cabinet. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now.
How many times did Mujica escape prison?
He escaped from prison twice but was recaptured both times and served some 14 years in all. As a prisoner of the brutal military dictatorship that seized power in a coup in June 1973, Mujica was tortured and spent long periods of time in solitary confinement, including two years at the bottom of a well.
Who was the EP-FA candidate in 2009?
…2009, the EP–FA’s presidential candidate, José Mujica, a senator and former left-wing guerrilla, won just less than half the vote, which was not enough to avoid a runoff election against the runner-up, former president Lacalle of the Blanco Party. In a referendum, voters also rejected the proposed revocation of an…
When did Mujica become a senator?
In 1994, he successfully stood for election as a deputy. He was just one of two MPP members to win their election. Five years later, was successfully elected as a senator. In 2004, Mujica's MPP party became the most powerful party in the country. This helped boost his successful re-election bid as senator.
What group did Mujica join?
In 1966, Mujica joined the MLN-Tumpamaros, an armed revolutionary group. Three years later, he led a squad of MLN guerillas in the mission to take over the city of Pando.
What is the highest award Mujica has ever received?
On January 28, 2014, Mujica was awarded the ‘Order of the Aztec Eagle’, the highest award in Mexico.
What was the name of the political party that Mujica founded?
In 1985, a new amnesty law freed thousands of prisoners. Mujica was among the liberated prisoners. In 1989, he founded the ‘Movement of Popular Participation’ (MPP) political party .
Why was Mujica arrested?
In 1971, he was arrested for his involvement in revolutionary activities but escaped from prison. He was quickly re-arrested but managed to escape again the following year. Mujica spent the next 13 years in prison. While imprisoned he faced numerous atrocities and at one point he was held in a watering trough.
When did Mujica retire?
Mujica served as the ‘president pro tempore’ of the ‘Union of South American Nations’. He served from December 4, 2014 to March 1, 2015. On March 1, 2015, Mujica's term in office came to an end. He has now retired to private live where he plans to grow chrysanthemums.
Who was the president of Argentina in 2008?
Continue Reading Below. In 2008, the ‘Broad Front’, a coalition of several political parties, agreed on Mujica as their candidate for president. In 2009, he was elected as president after winning a run-off election. The following year, he settled a long running dispute between Argentina and Uruguay over a key river.
Overview
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician, former revolutionary and farmer who served as the 40th President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015. A former guerrilla with the Tupamaros, he was tortured and imprisoned for 14 years during the military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s. A member of the Broad Front coalition of left-wing parties, Mujica was Minister of Livestock, …
Early life
Mujica was born on 20 May 1935, to Demetrio Mujica, of Spanish Basque ancestry, and Lucy Cordano, a daughter of Italian immigrants. Mujica's father was a small farmer who went bankrupt shortly before his death in 1940, when his son was five. His mother's parents were very poor Italian immigrants from Liguria. Lucy Cordano was born in Carmelo, where her parents had bought 2 hectares (4.9 acres) in Colonia Jose to cultivate vineyards. Between the ages of 13 and 17, Muj…
Guerrilla
In the mid-1950's, he joined the newly formed MLN-Tupamaros movement, an armed political group inspired by the Cuban Revolution. He participated in the brief 1969 takeover of Pando, a town close to Montevideo, leading one of six squads assaulting strategic points in the city. Mujica's team was charged with taking over the telephone exchange and was the only one to complete the operation without any mishaps. In March 1970 Mujica was gunned down while resi…
Minister of Agriculture
On 1 March 2005, President Tabaré Vázquez designated Mujica as the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (Mujica's own professional background was in the agricultural sector). Upon becoming minister, Mujica resigned his position as senator. He held this position until a cabinet change in 2008, when he resigned and was replaced by Ernesto Agazzi. Mujica then returned to his seat in the Senate.
Political positions
Mujica's political ideology has evolved over the years from orthodox to pragmatist. In recent times he has expressed a desire for a more flexible political left. His speaking style and manner is credited as part of his growing popularity since the late 1990s, especially among rural and poor sectors of the population. He has been variously described as an "antipolitician" and a man w…
Government
Mujica formed a cabinet made up of politicians from the different components of the Broad Front, conceding the area of economics to aides of his vice president Danilo Astori.
In June 2012, Mujica's government made a controversial move to legalize state-controlled sales of marijuana in Uruguay in order to fight drug-related crimes and health issues, and stated that they would ask global leaders to do the same. Mujica said that by regulating Uruguay's estimated $4…
Personal life
In 2005, Mujica married Lucía Topolansky, a fellow former Tupamaros member after many years living together. They have no children and live on a farm owned by Lucía in the outskirts of Montevideo, where they cultivate chrysanthemums for sale, having declined to live in the presidential palace or to use its staff. Also living at his farm is his three-legged dog, Manuela. Topolansky briefly served a…
International relevance
During the last months of 2013, the Serbian film director Emir Kusturica started shooting a documentary on the life of Mujica, El Pepe, una vida suprema released in 2018, whom he considers "the last hero of politics". In 2014 Italian author Frank Iodice wrote the book Breve dialogo sulla felicità, which centers on the life of Mujica. Ten thousand copies of the book were printed and distributed for free to local school children. In June 2016, Mujica received the Order of the Flag o…