Leading by Example
On Mujica’s quiet leadership, pandemic preparedness, and the politics reshaping education and Europe
José “Pepe” Mujica, the former president of Uruguay, died on May 13 at 89. He had been battling esophageal cancer, which had spread to his liver. In January, he announced that he would forgo further treatment. When news of his death broke, what people remembered most wasn’t a list of laws or achievements. It was his humility, his plain-spoken philosophy, and his refusal of pomp that stood out.
Mujica never finished high school. He worked as a farmer and became politically active as a teenager, eventually joining the guerrilla group Tupamaros in the 1960s. Captured during Uruguay’s dictatorship, he spent more than a decade in prison, much of it in solitary confinement. Years later, after laying down arms, he ran for office and held the roles of congressman, senator, and minister. As president from 2010 to 2015, he legalized marijuana and same-sex marriage, decriminalized abortion, and made Uruguay a global leader in renewable energy. But that’s not all that made him remarkable.
He drove a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle, lived in a modest house outside Montevideo, and grew chrysanthemums for the local market. He refused to live in the presidential palace. “It’s crap,” he once said. “They should make it a high school.” Often called the world’s poorest president, he rejected the label. In his view, the truly poor weren’t those who lived simply, but those constantly chasing more to be happy.
“So what is it that catches the world’s attention? That I live with very little, a simple house, that I drive around in an old car? Then this world is crazy, because it’s surprised by what is normal,” he said before leaving office.
One doesn’t have to agree with him, his politics, or his past to feel the weight of his example. In a political age obsessed with optics, demonstrations of power for the sake of it, pomp, and performance, Mujica offered something rare: consistency. He didn’t just talk about values, he lived them. That kind of leadership is increasingly hard to come by. Some may have seen him as foolish. I’d argue the opposite.
With that, let’s dive into a few things that didn’t make the front pages but probably should have:
1. British universities face widespread cuts
British universities are shrinking. Over 5,300 teaching positions are expected to be cut this year, as institutions struggle with rising costs and declining revenue. Domestic tuition fees, frozen for over a decade at around £9,000, no longer cover the actual costs of teaching that have risen with inflation, especially as public subsidies fall short. By 2026, nearly three-quarters of UK universities could be running deficits.
To compensate for rising deficits, universities have increasingly relied on international students, who pay higher uncapped fees. But that model hit a wall last year when the UK government tightened visa rules, banning most foreign students from bringing family members. That change led to a sharp drop in enrollment of foreign students by 17% overall, and by as much as 50% at some institutions.
The result is a steep slide into market logic. Courses and entire departments seen as less “profitable,” especially in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, are being axed. Regional universities serving disadvantaged communities are also hanging by a thread.
Interested in more? Le Monde - British universities are being sacrificed for profits
2. F.D.A. may limit Covid vaccines for the healthy
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has signaled it may soon restrict Covid vaccine eligibility to only those most at risk, primarily people 65 and older or with underlying conditions, raising concern about access ahead of the fall season.
While officials say they need more data before approving annual boosters for healthy individuals, critics argue that narrowing eligibility overlooks Covid’s ongoing toll and evolution. The disease still causes daily hospitalizations and deaths, and many healthy people live with or care for high-risk individuals. Under the proposed policy, insurers could require proof of vulnerability before covering the cost, effectively making access conditional.
Especially worrying is the impact on children. The CDC currently recommends vaccination for all kids starting at six months. Yet this new framework could leave healthy infants and toddlers ineligible, even though their risks can be similar as those of seniors.
Interested in more? NYT - The F.D.A. May Restrict Covid Shots. Who Will Be Able to Get Them?
3. UK and EU reinforce ties in new deal
The UK and EU have struck a deal that strengthens cooperation in defense, trade, and immigration, signaling a step toward post-Brexit normalcy. Announced on Monday, the defense portion of the agreement includes biannual meetings, expanded information-sharing, and the UK’s potential involvement in an EU joint defense fund.
On trade, the deal eases requirements for food and animal product exchanges Fishing rights between both parties were also addressed. EU vessels will retain access to UK waters until 2038, far longer than Britain’s original four-year proposal, though still short of what some EU nations hoped for.
The announcement came as the EU's trade chief said the bloc is committed to securing a trade deal with the U.S. based on “respect,” not “threats,” after the announcement of potential steep tariffs from across the pond. “We stand ready to defend our interests,” he added.
Interested in more? BBC - The new UK-EU deal at a glance
4. World Health Organization reaches pandemic agreement
In a rare show of global consensus, 124 countries voted this week to adopt an agreement on pandemic preparedness. This follows three years of negotiation to improve the global response to future health emergencies.
The treaty outlines protocols for cooperation, surveillance, and public communication during outbreaks. Its most contentious piece, covering equitable access to vaccines and treatments in return for sharing viral and pathogen samples, remains under negotiation and is expected to be finalized over the next year.
Although this agreement is not yet binding, it represents a win for global cooperation at a time when multilateral institutions like the WHO have faced funding deficits and political attacks.
Interested in more? The Guardian - World agrees pandemic accord for tackling outbreaks of disease
5. Far right surges in Portugal, ending two-party dominance
In Portugal, after snap parliamentary elections, the center-right Democratic Alliance emerged narrowly in front but fell short of a majority. Meanwhile, tje leader of the Socialist Party resigned after his party was reduced to 58 seats, leaving it tied with the far-right party Chega (Enough), which surged to become the third-largest political force.
Chega’s rise marks a turning point. The party capitalized on public frustration with corruption and immigration, as well as political fatigue triggered by repeated scandals. Ventura called the results “historic,” citing the end of Socialist–Social Democrat dominance in Portugal’s politics.
The Democratic Alliance now faces the prospect of forming a minority government or returning to the polls, a scenario that could further embolden Chega. With mainstream parties weakened and fragmented, Portugal may be on the cusp of a political realignment.
Interested in more? EuroNews - Portugal general election: Ruling AD coalition wins while Chega and Socialist Party tie for seats
That’s all for this week. Most of these stories didn’t make it to the front pages, buried beneath the chaos and the constant stream of breaking news.
If something here caught your interest, feel free to share it. And if you come across a story, thread, or corner of the internet you think I should read, please send it my way.
As always, thanks for reading!
Any views expressed in this space are solely my own and do not reflect those of my current or former employers, or any institution I’ve been affiliated with.