He president of BrazilLuiz Inácio Lula da Silvadecorated this Thursday in Uruguay his friend and former president José ´Pepe´ Mujica (2010-2015), whom he referred to with emotion as the “most extraordinary” person he had ever met.
“A brother is not chosen, neither is a mother, but a buddy Yeah. He is the partner I chose“he said, with reddened eyes, next to the friendafter granting him the Great Collar of the National Order of Cruzeiro do Sul, the country’s highest decoration.
Lula, who traveled to the country to attend the Mercosur summit, highlighted that during his career policy had met “many, many presidents“, but he placed the Uruguayan on another level and said that he was not awarding him for having been president of Uruguay but for the fact of being what it is.
Mujica, who received president on the modest rural property he has on the outskirts of Montevideo, he said that he was not “a man of awards“but he thanked him for the gesture.
“I am a man of town who has done what he could for his town and nothing more, but Lula is a friend of many years,” he said, standing and leaning on a cane, at 90 years old.
Mujica added that the Brazilian was “one of the best” he has seen happen Latin America“a rich continent with too much town poor man”, and wished him a long life and to “repeat”, in reference to the next elections 2026, for which Lula has not yet confirmed his candidacy.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Uruguayan dropped into a plastic chair in front of the house and, pointing the big necklace golden that had just been put around his neck, he told an assistant: “Take this off for me.”
A few hours before Lula’s visit, Mujica received another leader progressivehe president Colombian Gustavo Petro, who awarded him the Order of Boyacá.
The Uruguayan announced in April that he had a tumor in the esophagus, which provoked a shower of support from Latin American progressivism, but in August he explained that he was recovering thanks to a treatment of radiotherapy.
