In June, José “Pepe” Mujica completed his radiotherapy sessions to treat esophageal cancer. Now, the former Uruguayan president faces “the most difficult moment” due to the inflammation of his digestive system, which prevents him from eating normally, according to his wife, former vice president Lucía Topolansky.
José “Pepe” Mujica, known for his physical and mental strength, is now facing one of the toughest challenges of his life. After completing an intense radiotherapy treatment in June, the former Uruguayan president is suffering the following-effects of accumulated radiation, which caused severe inflammation in his digestive system, making it difficult for him to eat solid food.
“He can only eat soup and gelatin”
“Unfortunately, he can only eat soup, some juice, some gelatin, and we Uruguayans are used to eating barbecue, stew, and other things, and that’s sad,” said Lucía Topolansky.
Pepe with Lucía, his lifelong partner. (Photo: EFE)
Food restrictions are one of the hardest tests for the former president, known for his taste for traditional, home-cooked food. In this context, Topolansky said that, although his spirits are good, the cold and the impossibility of carrying out his usual activities affect him.
“Compared to doing eight events a day, as he did when he was a thousand-strong militant, he is like a dog tied to a chain and even without eating is angry,” he explained, illustrating the former president’s frustration with forced inactivity.
An aggressive treatment
Raquel Pannone, Mujica’s doctor, previously explained that the radiotherapy treatment he underwent is “very aggressive in itself,” which generated significant side effects. Despite these challenges, Pannone highlighted Mujica’s physical and mental strength, which allowed him to complete the treatment without major complications.
Raquel Pannone, José “Pepe” Mujica’s doctor.
“One of the fears we had was that he wouldn’t be able to tolerate it because of his age and the comorbidities he already has. But he certainly has a lot of physical and mental strength and that allowed him to complete the treatment without any major difficulties,” said the doctor.
The medical team must now wait a while to re-evaluate Mujica’s health and analyze how the treatment is progressing. Topolansky said that patience is necessary. “I think the doctors have done a very good job, but we have to wait, patience is the only thing we have to have,” said her colleague.
