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The World’s ‘Poorest’ President, Jose Mujica, Lives In A Shack With $1,800 To His Name

Posted: November 15, 2012
The World’s ‘Poorest’ President, Jose Mujica, Lives In A Shack With $1,800 To His Name

Meet Jose Mujica, the world's poorest president

Time for your morning dose of perspective: Do you think that every nation’s leader takes a great paycheck home to a swanky mansion? Meet Jose Mujica, the world’s “poorest” president who lives in a shack and has just under $2,000 to his name.

Mujica, the president of Uruguay, lives a life that is dramatically different from other politicians across the world, even those world leaders who didn’t build a kingdom on the backs of their citizens are often criticized for lifestyles far loftier than that of their electorates, but Mujica stands in stark contrast from what we’d associate with the title of “President.”

A vegetarian, the 77-year-old Mujica lives on his wife’s tiny farm where the water comes from a well and the laundry hangs outside, reports MSN. Further, he only owns old furniture and drives a 1987 VW Beetle. His farm is guarded by two police officers and Manuela, a three-legged dog.

As stated above, Mujica only has about $1,800 to his name, earning him the title of “world’s poorest president,” but it’s not because Uruguay is in such bad shape. Even Mujica himself isn’t in such bad shape, actually.

You see, the world’s poorest president is just that by choice. BBC reports that Mujica actually turned down the chance to stay at the Uruguayan presidential residence, and donates 90% of his monthly salary (about $12,000) to charity.

To put this in perspective, imagine President Obama turning down residency at the White House in favor of a 1-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Chicago, willingly choosing to “scrape by” just like everyone else.

“I’ve lived like this most of my life,” the world’s poorest president says. “I can live well with what I have.”

Living the way he does by choice helps Mujica keep himself humble, he says.

“I’m called ‘the poorest president’, but I don’t feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more,” he says. “This is a matter of freedom. If you don’t have many possessions then you don’t need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them, and therefore you have more time for yourself,” he says.

“I may appear to be an eccentric old man … But this is a free choice.”

What do you think of Jose Mujica, the world’s poorest president?



Comments


16 Archived Responses to “ The World’s ‘Poorest’ President, Jose Mujica, Lives In A Shack With $1,800 To His Name ”

  1. Shilee Rose
    Nov 16, 2012

    OBAMA WILL YOU DO THIS FOR AMERICA?

  2. Shilee Rose
    Nov 16, 2012

    THIS IS A MUST READ..WOULD OBAMA DO THIS TO HELP AMERICA…..

  3. Renee Pearson Price
    Nov 16, 2012

    I think he is a smart man!!

  4. Ramona Mcdonald Hastings
    Nov 16, 2012

    Sounds like a smart and HAPPY man….possessions dose'nt make Him happy and He sure want carry them with Him when He dies…..I've never seen a u-haul behind a hurse….

  5. Christa Joy Feagin
    Nov 16, 2012

    Absolutely respected and admired!

  6. Scotty Reid
    Nov 16, 2012

    Shilee Rose What about congress and the court justices?

  7. Shilee Rose
    Nov 16, 2012

    IM SURE THAT WOULD HELP OUT TO-I GUESS IT COULD NOT HURT…….

  8. Maria Varela-Mujica
    Nov 17, 2012

    Very proud of the president of my country. Love Pepe Mujica1.

  9. Sathik Husain
    Nov 17, 2012

    The great man..

  10. Jadzia Korzep Shabo
    Nov 17, 2012

    God Blesses the ones that help the poor and he will be blessed 10 times over.

  11. Denise Lott
    Nov 17, 2012

    Would any American politician do this, no matter what party? Not likely.

  12. Idania Fraginals
    Nov 20, 2012

    That is what a leader of a countre should be, conscient of the need of the people and humble enough to live like the ones that elected him. God Bless Mr. Mujica.

  13. Idania Fraginals
    Nov 20, 2012

    Of course not. He can care less about the People. He only care about advancing his Socialistic agenda to please his croonies.

  14. Idania Fraginals
    Nov 20, 2012

    He does not need to make his country a socialist one to screw his people.

  15. Shilee Rose
    Nov 20, 2012

    I AGREE…

  16. Micheal Opakunmi
    Nov 22, 2012

    HuuuuuMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm