Mujica’s 2013 UN Speech: Idealism Over America First Principles?

On September 24, 2013, José Mujica, the former president of Uruguay, took the floor at the United Nations General Assembly with a speech that would mark him as a darling of international idealists. Emphasizing themes like unity among Latin American nations and a warning against what he called "the god market," Mujica framed his message as a plea to "save life" and reject modern individualism. But while his poetic call for solidarity and care for humanity may resonate on an emotional level, it raises hard questions for Americans committed to an America First agenda focused on national sovereignty and practical...