Uruguay: Leftist Leader 'Pepe' Mujica Retires From Politics

Uruguay's former President Jose Mujica Tuesday resigned from the Senate and announced his retirement from political activity.

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The 85-year-old leader of the Broad Front (BF) revealed that he took such decision because he has a chronic immune disease.

“I love politics and I would not want to leave, but I love my life even more," he said, adding that the pandemic forced him to retire "with much regret for my deep political vocation and to request my resignation from a seat that was granted to me by the people."

He will be replaced in the Senate by the Broad Front politician Alejandro Sanchez, who was also a member of the National Liberation Movement-Tupamaros (MLN-T).

Mujica is one of the most beloved political figures in recent Latin America's history, largely thanks to his unorthodox style of government and his speeches focused on human values.

“Today the most beloved Uruguayan in the world retires from parliamentary life. Today a fighter retires, today a great president retires. A great guy and above all a great person, today the 'Old Man' retires, today Don Jose Pepe Mujica retires. Thank you for so much dear Viejo.”

Amid the strong and widespread economic crisis that Uruguay went through in the mid-60s, Mujica joined the Tupamaros, one of the most famous urban guerilla in Latin America.

During his militancy, he fell prisoner four times and spent 12 years in prison, where he was tortured. Later on, he was Agriculture Minister from 2005 to 2008 and later a senator. At the end of 2009, the Uruguayan people elected him as their president.

On Tuesday, Uruguay's former president Julio María Sanguinetti also resigned from Parliament. He ruled his country over two terms (1985-1900 and 1995-2000) as a member of the Colorado Party.