Lula da Silva’s exciting farewell to the former Uruguayan president in his wake.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said goodbye to former Uruguayan president José Mujica on Thursday in Montevideo. Mujica died on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 89.
Lula took a 25-hour flight from Beijing, where he participated in a Celac forum with China, and arrived at 2 pm local time (17h00 GMT) at the Uruguay Legislative Palace, where the former president’s funeral was held.
“I leave here with a lot of sadness because in the last 15 days we suffered two irreparable losses: Pope Francis, who was a very, very, very special human being, with a very high conception of humanity, with a generosity above the average of humanity, and now Pepe Mujica accompanies him,” said the Brazilian president in a statement to the press before leaving the funeral.
I hope the two together, wherever they are in heaven, continue to look at us and bless us, so that humanity is better. For humanity to be more fraternal, for humanity to be more generous, and for politics to be conducted more worthy, more respectfully, and more supportive.
Upon arriving at the Lost Steps Hall at the Uruguay Legislative Palace, where the funeral occurred, Lula da Silva embraced and kissed Mujica’s wife and former Uruguayan vice president, Lucía Topolanksy, on the forehead. | AFP
Lula da Silva attended the wake with his wife, Janja, and spent 45 minutes with Mujica’s wife, former vice-president Lucía Topolansky, and current Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi.
They also shared a hug and a few minutes with Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who arrived and left earlier.
“What is gratifying to us, as human beings, is that a person like Pepe Mujica does not die. His body is gone, but the ideas that Pepe Mujica has planted over all these years,” said Lula.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric traveled to Montevideo to say goodbye to former President Mujica. | AFP
The Brazilian president praised “the generosity of a man who spent 14 years in prison and who managed to be released without any hatred against the people who imprisoned him, the people who tortured him.”
“This is a gift from God, which is only granted to superior human beings.”
Mujica’s career
Mujica belonged to the Guerrilla Group National Liberation Movement-Tupamaros since the 1960s and was arrested for almost 14 years, before and during the last civil-military dictatorship in Uruguay (1973-1985), most of which passed isolated in a cistern.
After the restoration of democracy, Mujica and many other Tupamaros joined the Left Frente Amplio coalition in the Popular Participation Movement (MPP), with which he won the presidency in 2010.
Led by Mujica, MPP has grown over the years and has become a large political group within the wide front, covering various points of view throughout the leftist ideological spectrum.
Lula gave a big hug to his colleague Gabriel Boric when he reached the wake. | AFP
Lula da Silva said that as soon as he learned of the news he called President Orsi to find out when he would be the wake.
“I did not want Pepe to be cremated, buried, unable to say goodbye … to pay tribute to a politician who does not respect himself as a politician. Pepe Mujica is more than that. Pepe Mujica is a very, very special human being, for those who think of the present, and for those who think about the future,” he said, referring to the former president of Uruguay.
“My coming here was to give a hug to one of the people I learned to respect how I rarely respected someone in my life,” added the Brazilian head of state.
Lula da Silva attended the wake with his wife, Janja, who also talked to Mujica’s wife, Lucía Topolansky. | AFP
The funeral of Mujica was held since Wednesday morning at the Lost Steps Hall of the Uruguayan Legislative Palace in Montevideo, until shortly after 17h. local time on Thursday.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in the government building to say goodbye to the former president.
Mujica asked to be cremated and buried on his farm on the outskirts of Montevideo, next to his three -legged dog Manuela, who died in 2018.
Originally published by BBC News Mundo on 15/05/2025
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/05/17/espero-que-pepe-mujica-e-o-papa-francisco-continuem-nos-olhando-do-ceu-para-que-a-humanidade-seja-melhor/
