Legalization of marijuana, abortion and same-sex marriage: see social reforms made by Mujica in Uruguay

José "Pepe" Mujica left his mark on Uruguay during his presidency. Mujica, who died at the age of 89 on Tuesday, the 13th, after battling esophageal cancer , approved social reforms that were "controversial" among nations around the world.

The former politician was president of Uruguay from 2011 to 2015. After leaving office, he became a senator, a position he held until 2018. During his government, Mujica legalized marijuana , abortion and approved same-sex marriage.

Born on May 20, 1935, in Montevideo , Pepe was a member of the Tupamaros National Liberation Movement . The guerrilla group carried out bank robberies and distributed money to the poor population of the Uruguayan capital. Social issues were always a priority during his administration.

See below Mujica's main milestones in Uruguay .

Legalization of abortion

In 2012, Uruguay became the first country in Latin America to decriminalize abortion up to the first trimester of pregnancy. The law also authorized abortion in cases of risk to the woman's health, rape or fetal malformation, making it mandatory for all health institutions to provide abortion services and provide the necessary assistance to pregnant women.

Same-sex marriage

In 2013, the Uruguayan Parliament approved the legalization of same-sex marriage. The country became the second in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage, behind only Argentina, which enacted the same law in 2010.

Marijuana release

The most controversial issue during Mujica's presidency led Uruguay to become the first country in the world to legalize the personal use of marijuana in 2013. According to Mujica, the goal was to try to combat illegal drug trafficking. The legalization of marijuana, under state control, allows, for example, the population to grow their own crops and authorizes the sale of cannabis in pharmacies.