After a massive first day, the final farewell to former president José Mujica continues this Thursday. Confirmed attendees include the presidents of Brazil, Lula da Silva; Chile, Gabriel Boric; Colombia, Gustavo Petro; and Bolivia, Luis Arce.

More than 5,000 people and long lines were seen in front of the Uruguayan Parliament on Wednesday as part of the state funeral for Mujica, in a ceremony described by organizers as “unprecedented.” 

On Thursday, the doors of the Legislative Palace will reopen at 10 a.m. and are expected to close around 8 p.m., according to the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Sebastián Valdomir, although that schedule will depend on the size of the crowd.

Around 40 diplomatic delegations paid their respects yesterday, including that of Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof and an advance party from the Brazilian delegation. Lula is due to arrive shortly after midday and is likely to give a press conference after saying goodbye to the Movement of Popular Participation party leader, whom he has often described as a friend.

Boric is expected to arrive a little later. He had met with Mujica several months ago during a visit to the country for Yamandú Orsi’s inauguration.

Kicillof ’embarrassed’ by Milei’s response

Kicillof criticized President Javier Milei’s response to the former Uruguayan leader’s passing. Milei did not directly comment on Mujica’s death, but reposted a comment on X that read “Simply, one cannot pay one’s respects to someone who exercised political violence in its greatest form: devious individual homicide.” The post was originally written by Argentine lawyer Alejandro Fargosi.

The post was a reference to Mujica’s time as a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla member in the MLN-Tupamaros during the 1960s and 1970s.

Kicillof said: “I’m extremely embarrassed that the president did that. I apologize.”

Wednesday’s heartfelt farewell had two parts, beginning with a funeral procession that started at the Executive Tower presidential office and passed by the headquarters of the MLN-Tupamaros, the Huella de Seregni (home of the Frente Amplio ruling party), and then the offices of the MPP, before ending at Parliament.

During the final farewell, leaders from across the political spectrum paid their respects, including President Yamandú Orsi, who praised Mujica for his warmth and humanity. “People saw him as one of their own,” he said.

Also present during the ceremony were Mujica’s widow and former senator Lucía Topolansky, Vice President Carolina Cosse, cabinet members, and leaders from the FA and MPP. Former presidents Luis Lacalle Pou, Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera, and Julio María Sanguinetti also attended, along with some opposition figures.

They were joined by several thousand Uruguayans who first participated in the procession and later came to the Legislative Palace to pay their respects to what many consider the last great leader of the Broad Front — a political force now facing a period of renewal.

-Herald/Ambito/Ambito Uruguay