euskalkultura.eus

The former president of Uruguay, one of the most charismatic politicians and well-loved around the world in recent times, is now in the Basque Country visiting his roots, along with his wife, Senator Lucia Topolansky.  Mujica is taking advantage of his brief visit, in which he rejected all fanfare, to get to know the Basque culture better.  He stressed the “sharp personality,” of the Basques.  “There are all kinds of political tendencies,” he laughed before pointing out the “flags of the municipalities are small" but that the Basque one "was big.”

Muxika, Bizkaia. The former Uruguayan president, Jose Mujica is in the Basque Country on a private trip without protocol.  For example, he rejected a car provided him by the Uruguayan consulate, and he is taking advantage of his visit to get to know the hometown of his ancestors.

This is not Mujica’s first trip to Euskal Herria, as he has also visited in 2014, in an official visit as president of his country.  On that occasion he visited Muxika in Bizkaia where he believed his last name originated from (actually it comes from Astigarreta, Gipuzkoa), but he never had the chance to visit it calmly or to chat with other towns people, something that he will do on this trip.

Yesterday, Mujica returned to Muxika, where he had a private meeting with Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu.  The talk took place at a beautiful farm house with wonderful views of the Gernika valley.  During the day, Mujica also visited with several residents of the town that approached him to say hello, including bertsolari and deputy of Amaiur, Onitza Enbeita.

“I had promised to return, as soon as I could,” Mujica said. He will celebrate his 80th birthday still in the Basque Country, next Wednesday.  “We will probably never return,” he told the press.  During his visit he ate at a typical Txoko and talked with various historians discussing Basque culture and customs.

The former president indicated that he feels that people there "are Basque, not to be confused with being Spanish,” because in his opinion, even though at first glance “they may seem so,” in the end “the Basque aspect dominates.”