SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Uruguay's former guerilla-turned-president, Jose Mujica, widely known as a leftist icon who transformed his small country into one of the most socially liberal in all of Latin America, said Monday that he has esophageal cancer.
Mujica, 88, said he was diagnosed during a routine medical checkup last Friday. He said the tumor discovered in his esophagus is particularly dangerous because he also suffers from an autoimmune disease.
“This is obviously very complicated and doubly so in my case,” the ex-president who governed Uruguay from 2010 to 2015 told reporters Monday. He said doctors were assessing the best course of action but warned him that chemotherapy and surgery posed challenges.
Known among both fans and detractors as “Pepe” Mujica, the folksy leader of Uruguay, a country of just 3.3 million people, was first a leader of the Tupamaros, the Marxist guerilla group that drew inspiration from the Cuban revolution.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, Mujica wielded weapons on Montevideo's streets in an effort to overthrow the government, getting shot by police several times and ultimately landing in prison until the fall of the country's dictatorship led to his release in 1985.
As Uruguay's 40th president, Mujica legalized same-sex marriage — a bold move in the predominantly Roman Catholic country — and boosted women's rights. He also made Uruguay the first nation in the world to fully legalize recreational marijuana.
He drew admiration in Uruguay and far afield as a politician who spoke with blunt honesty and lived up to his own values, shunning the presidential palace in favor of his modest house on the outskirts of Montevideo and donating most of his salary to charity.
“I live as I think,” he told The Associated Press in an interview last fall. “When we have companions, we’re not poor.”
Although Mujica left the Senate in 2020, he remained a powerful force in the Broad Front, a coalition of leftist parties and centrist social democrats.
In his characteristically charming and self-effacing style, Mujica turned the press conference on his diagnosis into a pep-talk for the country's youth.
“I want to convey to all the young people that life is beautiful, but it wears you out and you fall," he said. “The point is to start over every time you fall. If there is anger, transform it into hope.”
FILE - Uruguay's former President Jose Mujica, left, and his wife Lucia Topolansky enter La Moneda presidential palace for a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the military coup that toppled the government of late President Salvador Allende in Santiago, Chile, Sept. 11, 2023. Mujica announced on April 29, 2024, that he has esophageal cancer after a tumor was detected during a medical check-up. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)
DALLAS (AP) — Colorado finally got to play with the lead against the Dallas Stars, though the Avalanche are still behind in the series.
Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scored two goals, the second after Casey Mittelstadt’s go-ahead tally in the third period, and they beat top-seeded Dallas 5-3 in Game 5 on Wednesday night. The Avs snapped their three-game losing streak and extended the second-round Western Conference series.
“Obviously a do-or-die game from here on out in the series,” Makar said. “Each of us, we feed off each other. ... And I felt like we were back to kind of like forcing their hand tonight.”
When Mittelstadt scored just 1:12 into the third period to make it 3-2, it was the first time the Avalanche had led in the series except for when Miles Wood scored 11 minutes into overtime to win the series opener.
“It was great,” league MVP finalist Nathan MacKinnon said about playing with a lead. “They didn’t do that much, but anytime we can get a lead it’s important so we’re not chasing all series.”
Makar made it 4-2 with an unassisted goal just over three minutes later. His shot from the middle of the right circle went through the legs of goalie Jake Oettinger and proved to be the deciding goal and MacKinnon scored on a lone assist from Artturi Lehkonen with 3:10 left.
MacKinnon also had the only assist on Lehkonen’s power-play goal in the very last second of the first period.
“We knew we were going to get their best game in the series, and they did,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “Their big guys all are on the scoresheet tonight, which we’ve probably anticipated would happen.”
Avalanche goalie Alexander Georgiev had 23 saves. Oettinger stopped 22 shots.
Joe Pavelski had his first goal of these playoffs for the Stars, and had his second assist this postseason. Miro Heiskanen and rookie Logan Stankoven also scored for Dallas, and Jason Robertson had two assists.
Game 6 is Friday night in Colorado, where the Stars outscored the Avs 9-2 while winning Games 3 and 4. Dallas is 4-1 on the road this postseason — and 3-4 at home.
This was the sixth time in franchise history that the Avs won Game 5 after falling behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven series. They have never come back to win the series.
After going 0 for 8 on power plays while losing the previous three games, Colorado scored tying goals on both of its opportunities with a man advantage in the first two periods.
“I felt like once we were getting pucks, it was right on and off the stick, and trying to avoid a little bit of the pressure,” Makar said, when asked what changed in Game 5. “Having that different mentality, an attack mentality, and not trying to back down or trying to look for the perfect play.”
Makar got his power-play goal on a 50-foot wrister through a bunch of traffic in front of the net with 3 1/2 minutes left in the second period to tie the game at 2-2.
“Tough-go for a handful of games ... it’s a huge response after goal one, after goal two,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said.
Mittelstadt’s go-ahead goal came after Zach Parise hit the puck across the crease and Mittelstadt knocked it in, a ricochet off the right post that hit the back of Oettinger’s leg and went in.
Pavelski scored on a backhander from just outside the crease after a pass from Matt Duchene midway through the first period, after Robertson had poked the puck away from defenseman Josh Manson.
After 14 games without a goal, including the last three games of the regular season, Pavelski got his 74th career playoff goal to extend his record for the most by a U.S-born player. That is also the most by any active player.
Colorado got even at 1-1 with 0.6 seconds left in the first period on Lehkonen’s slap shot from the top of the slot.
“You’ve got to get out of the period there,” DeBoer said.
Heiskanen scored his fourth goal in this series, and his fifth of the playoffs, put Dallas up 2-1 in the second. He dropped the puck back to Pavelski, who passed ahead to Robertson, who made a move toward the right side of the net before a nifty crossing pass to Heiskanen on the other side of Georgiev on a power play.
Rantanen had the secondary assist on Makar’s first goal for his 100th career playoff point (33 goals and 67 assists). It came in his 80th career postseason game, making him only the eighth NHL player to reach that milestone in that many games or fewer. He is only the fourth player in Avalanche franchise history to reach 100 playoff points — Joe Sakic’s 188 tops that list.
It was Bednar’s 49th playoff victory, matching Bob Hartley for the most in franchise history. Both have led the Avalanche to Stanley Cup titles, Hartley in 2001 and then Bednar their next one in 2022.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, watches the puck after his shot was blocked by Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
A shot by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, not visible, gets by Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) for a goal during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon (29), Jonathan Drouin (27), Devon Toews (7), Artturi Lehkonen (62) and Cale Makar (8) react after Makar scored a goal against Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, top, during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) reacts after teammate defenseman Cale Makar (8) scored a goal against the Dallas Stars during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. Looking on are Stars' Thomas Harley (55) and Tyler Seguin (91). (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche left wing Zach Parise (9) and Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) compete for the puck during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (23) falls on the ice while challenging Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) for the puck during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) and Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) chase after the puck during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) reacts after receiving a high stick from Dallas Stars defenseman Chris Tanev (3) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar passes the puck against the Dallas Stars during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) eyes the puck after a power play scoring shot by teammate Cale Makar, not visible, during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. Looking on are Stars' Jake Oettinger (29) and Esa Lindell (23). (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) skates by his bench after scoring a power play goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski (16) celebrates his first period goal with Miro Heiskanen, left, and Ryan Suter in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Stars players celebrate a goal by Joe Pavelski, center, during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
