In the soaring palace of Uruguay’s parliament, left-wing presidents from the region have come to remember former President Jose Mujica as a generous and charismatic leader whose legacy of humility remained an example for the world’s politicians.

Thousands of Uruguayans lined the streets of Montevideo Wednesday to bid farewell to deceased former leader Jose "Pepe" Mujica, famed for his humility and once known as the "world's poorest president.

Jose Mujica, a one-time guerrilla and later president of Uruguay who drove a beat-up VW Beetle and enacted progressive reforms that carried his reputation well beyond South America, has died aged 89.