Meet the world’s poorest president who gives out over 90% of his salary as charity

It is well known that our leaders in Nigeria are more concerned about looting the country’s funds and buying private Jets, expensive cars, and estates abroad for themselves, without caring about the poor neither do they think about their subjects who voted them into office. Most of these leaders only have their own interests and that of their immediate families at heart. They enjoy being treated as first class citizens and do not joke with the luxuries their positions offer them.


Jose Alberto ‘Pepe’ Mujica Cordano is a highly respected man in Uruguay. He is said to be the world’s poorest president as he served his country between 2010 and 2015 as the fortieth president of Uruguay. What made Mujica different and unique when compared to the other presidents that have served, was his act of benevolence. His austerity made people refer to him as the world’s poorest president. He chose to live on a farm despite having access to the presidential mansion. He decided to live in a simple house located in a rural area outside Montevideo.

The lifestyle of Mujica is an interesting one as he prefers to live simply despite being paid an amount equivalent to twelve thousand US dollars per month. The intriguing part of this is that about ninety percent of his earning goes to the poor and small-scale entrepreneurs. After giving out ninety percent of his salary, Mujica is left with an amount that is equivalent to an average Uruguay’s earning per month. Despite his act of charity, he does not feel poor and enjoys his life on the farm.

It is quite possible for Mujica to embrace this life of solitude due to the time he spent in jail. His past revealed that he was the former leader of some guerilla group called Tupemaros. This group was a violent one that used a Robin Hood-like strategy to fight for the poor. Fourteen years in confinement remolded him and changed his way of life.

His political views are unsettling considering the fact that he supports the same-sex marriage, abortion rights and the legalization of marijuana. While assessing his way of life and the things he does, people feel he does not act like a president but he is no doubt someone the poor relates with.

His leadership style is living by example; his choices clearly reflect that. He does not see himself as someone who lacks the basic things of life as he embraces this lifestyle. In addition to living on a farm, his official car is a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.

He has lived like that all his life and is happy with what he has. His perspective about his life is an interesting one.