José Mujica, former president of Uruguay and major figure of the Latin American left, announced Monday that he was suffering at the age of 88 from an esophageal tumor whose treatment is “complex”.
The former head of state, who became known around the world for his informal style, his outspokenness and his way of governing Uruguay between 2010 and 2015, learned of the tumor on Friday during of a medical examination, he explained during a press conference.
“It’s something obviously very risky,” said “Pépé” Mujica. “And it is doubly complex in my case, because I have suffered for more than twenty years from an immunological disease which has affected my kidneys, among other things, which creates difficulties for radiotherapy or surgery techniques,” a- he explained.
The one who remains a major figure of the Latin American left assured that he would continue to be politically active despite the illness. “As long as I can, I will be present,” he assured.
A former far-left guerrilla with spontaneous, sometimes controversial words, during his mandate he earned the nickname “the poorest president in the world” because this champion of frugality donated almost all of his salary as head of state. State has a social housing program.
He also became famous for pushing through progressive measures in the small South American country: abortion, same-sex marriage and the legalization of cannabis, the latter a world first in 2013.
His immune disease caused the atypical former president to renounce his mandate as senator in October 2020 due to the risks linked to the coronavirus epidemic.
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