Radio Mundo Real

“A country built bottom-top, by the families, that is my country”, those were the words of Mario Costa who unfortunately died a few days ago. He was a renowned leader of the family farming movement in Uruguay.

During a tribute done in his honor in April at the Association of Rural Development he talked about the necessary commitment with the society.

At the event, organized by the National Commission for Rural Development, which comprises family farmers from all over the country, he was awarded with the “Quixote” prize in recognition to his commitment to family farming.

“I do not deserve this prize, I did not work for this”, said Mario at the time. He explained why he was committed to the most vulnerable sectors in Uruguay, something rather unusual for someone who was born in a well-off family.

The leader had two options: getting to powerful positions or giving back to the rest of the society what he received throughout his training and he clearly opted for the latter.

As part of his lifetime activities, Mario was linked to the Peace and Justice Service (Serpaj), one of the most important human rights organizations in Uruguay, which played a significant role after the dictatorship that struck the country from 1973 to 1985.