José Alberto Mujica Cordano, former President of the Republic of Uruguay and better known as Pepe Mujica, received the 2019 Human Rights Award from the Valencian Council of Bar Associations – Foundation for Justice on February 5 from the President of FxJ, José María Tomás y Tío, and that of the CVCA, Antonio Esteban Estevan. Award given to him by both entities in recognition of his life history of personal and institutional commitment to Human Rights and Justice.
In his speech, Pepe Mujica He warned that “the fight for Human Rights never ends” and also that “it is subject to the historical evolution of changes in society.” In short, “it is a permanent struggle marked by the inequalities and limitations of our poor humanity.”
“You have to decide whether you want to spend your life being a dues payer or give meaning to your life by trying to do something for others, to have some dignity, thinking that you are also doing something for yourself.” For Mujica, “living with a cause is the only way to live.”
“The challenge that is posed to the youth, to the new generations, is to achieve global measures that do not ignore the conclusions of science and that put the guarantee of Human Rights first, because if not we can end up in a world for the poor and another for rich people. In this it is very important that politics does not act distracted,” added Pepe Mujica.
For his part, the President of the Valencian Council of Bar Associations, Antonio Esteban, assured that “the promotion and defense of Human Rights and values associated with them, is and has always been, an inalienable commitment for the Spanish Legal Profession, on which the defense of the Rights and Freedoms of citizens mainly rests. , constituting an essential and basic piece of the architecture of the Rule of Law.
In times of globalization and deregulation, like the present, it is necessary for civil society to be actively involved in the promotion, protection and defense of Human Rights, both political and social. The granting of this award to Mr. José Mújica responds to this involvement, by recognizing a person who has carried and carries out a personal and institutional commitment to Human Rights and Social Justice.”
While the President of the Foundation for Justice, José María Tomás, indicated that “getting involved in the defense of universal Human Rights is the toll we have to pay for being born in the most favored area on Earth.”
In his opinion, the recipe to remain excited in the search for Justice has two aspects: the first is that “from any public service or personal behavior we have the obligation to normalize the discrepancy.” And the second is “put passion into what we do; That is, do what we have to do in the best way we can. Be passionate about the life we have been given, be passionate about the defense of Human Rights.”
Prior to the award ceremony, the Secretary of the Jury of the 2019 Human Rights Award, Juan Añón, read the agreement granting the prize to Pepe Mujica. He stressed that during the period in which he held the Presidency of his country, a notable social improvement was seen, highlighting the notable decrease in the poverty rate, as well as a significant increase in employment, salaries and pensions. Likewise, it promoted the development and diversification of the energy sector towards non-polluting energies.
In the gloss on the winner, he also highlighted “his humility, sobriety and commitment”, which have led him to give up part of his salary as President and Senator to give it to organizations that work to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged in his community. country. “We are facing a person far from all ostentation and any consumerist impulse,” who, furthermore, “understands politics as a service to others” and “has always positioned himself on the side of justice, on the side of the poorest and most weak".
In short, what the Jury of the 2019 Human Rights Award has valued about Pepe Mujica is “his simplicity, humility and social commitment, but not as an imposed way of life, but because throughout his life he has been like this and, being so, he has “marked a special way of doing politics.”
CIVIL SOCIETY COVERS PEPE MUJICA
The ceremony for the 2019 Human Rights Award from the Valencian Council of Bar Associations – Foundation for Justice took place in the assembly hall of the Illustrious Bar Association of Valencia (ICAV).
The event was attended by the honoree, José “Pepe” Mujica, accompanied by his wife, Lucía Topolansky, as well as representatives of civil society from the entire Valencian Community, trustees of the Foundation for Justice, advisors of the CVCA, deans of the bar associations. from the entire Community, and numerous personalities.
Among the authorities who came to honor Pepe Mujica, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, stands out; the Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, José Luis Ábalos; the Vice President of the Consell and Minister of Equality and Inclusive Policies, Mónica Oltra; the President of Les Corts Valencianes, Enric Morera; the Ministers of Housing, Rubén Martínez; of Sustainable Economy, Rafael Climent; of Justice, Gabriela Bravo; from the Treasury, Vicent Soler, and from Participation, Rosa Pérez; the Government Delegate in the CV, Juan Carlos Fulgencio; the President of the General Council of Spanish Lawyers, Victoria Ortega; the Mayor of Valencia, Joan Ribó; the President of the Provincial Council of Valencia, Toni Gaspar, and that of Castellón, José Pascual Martí; as well as deputies, senators, mayors of numerous municipalities, general directors, regional secretaries... up to more than 300 guests.