In October 2020, Uruguayan President José Mujica, known as the world's poorest president, officially announced his retirement from politics, officially ending his political career.
It is shocking that although Uruguay is already one of the richest countries in South America, as president, Mujica has always lived in a plank house, drove a broken car, received only $1,100 a month, and lived in poverty.
Why did Mujica, as the country's leader, live this life? Why did he choose to retire from politics?
Darkness imprisons freedom
Looking back at Mujica's political journey since then, it can be described as a bumpy experience.
In 1973, a coup d'état broke out in Uruguay, and many people died tragically in this riot, while Mujica and his companion Nato, who were active in various political movements, were secretly locked up in the dungeon.
It was a room full of gloom and dampness. The cold of not seeing the sun all day long was enough to make people collapse, and the cockroach rats who made this place their home made the scalp of the three people numb.
At first, Nato and Lu Suo could still grit their teeth and hold on, but over time, this suffocating feeling even made them think suicidal.
One day, looking at the meal delivered by the prison guards that could only cover the bottom of a plate, Nato and Lu Suo did not immediately move their chopsticks as before.
This anomaly made Mujica feel very flustered, and he asked anxiously despite his hunger:
"Nato, Lu Suo, why don't you eat?"
Lu Suo, who was already dying on the bed, heard this, raised his eyelids and glanced at Mujica.
"I've had enough of living like this. I really didn't want to continue to endure such pain, so I simply died. ”
Such desperate words made Mujica very sad.
"Life is the most precious thing we have now! Get up for me to eat, and don't say such demoralizing words again! ”
Under the influence of Mujica, Nato and Luso, who were bent on death, were "alive" again, and the three supported each other through the most difficult days.
Later, seeing that they were too pitiful, the prison director gave a handout to give a family member the opportunity to visit the prison. Such a precious opportunity brought tears to Mujica's eyes, and he finally met his mother, who had been worried about him.
Through the thick iron railing, Mujica's mother looked at her son, who had been tortured out of shape, with teary eyes, and was distressed that she could not speak.
After a long time, Mujica's mother took out a small basin and said to her son, choking up:
"I live every day outside of prison. They are very strict, and my mother can only sneak in a basin, hoping that it will be of some use to you. ”
Mujica clutched the rim of the basin with both hands, and two lines of tears slipped down her cheeks. Such a dark life brought him to the brink of despair, but his mother's arrival gave him a glimmer of light when he was about to collapse.
Although this small pot could be used for many purposes, Mujica eventually chose to plant a small flower here.
He begged a kind-hearted prison guard for a long time, and finally asked the other party to help him get some sand and a small branch that had not yet bloomed.
Looking at this hard-won "loot", Mujica showed a long-lost smile. He carefully buried the fragile little flower in the soil, hoping that it would germinate as soon as possible.
Perhaps influenced by this new "friend", Nato and Luso are no longer as decadent as before, and all three are extremely convinced that the sprigs will blossom sooner or later, and they will eventually overcome suffering.
Waste is waiting to be revived, and plead for the people
Fourteen years later, the dictatorship was finally overthrown, and Mujica survived until the moment when he saw the light again.
The day I was released from prison, it was a sunny day. Mujica, who had not seen the sun for a long time, burst into tears the moment she felt the sun shine.
He looked at the mountains in the distance and firmly told himself that the suffering was over, and he would continue to regain his unfinished business.
Before he was released from prison, Mujica prepared for the worst, but when he entered politics again, he realized that Uruguay is far worse than he imagined.
Looking at the homeless people on the streets, Mujica's heart hurt like a needle.
Mujica knew that years of war had left the people of the country deeply disappointed with their leaders, and that if no one stood up and commanded the overall situation, their nation would be headed for irreparable disaster.
But at this time, Mujica was already a 70-year-old man. The long prison life has left him with many diseases, and whether he can have enough energy to change this bad situation has become the biggest problem that Mujica faces now.
Despite his family's dissuasion, Mujica continued his favorite political work.
For him, the country and his destiny have long been integrated, and as long as there is a breath, he must restore the ruined Uruguay to its former glory.
During that time, Mujica even moved directly to the office in order to save more time for work. One day, when Mujica's wife brought him dinner, she found the lunch meal untouched next to a pile of papers.
Seeing that Mujica was so wasteful and forgot to eat, his wife snatched the pen in her hand.
"Are you an iron man? Now I don't even eat! ”
After being a husband and wife for so many years, Mujica naturally heard his wife's concern hidden under blame.
"I lost track of time as soon as I got to work! Don't be angry, I'll eat. ”
Looking at the gobbling Mujica, his wife didn't say anything more, silently sorting out the pile of documents scattered for him.
At that moment, although she did not say anything, she was extremely convinced that Mujica would be able to realize his dream.
It turns out that all the hard work made by Mujica also paid off in the end. In March 2010, the elderly Mujica took to the podium of the presidential campaign.
He impressed the people of Uruguay with his remarkable achievements and speeches with great sincerity over the years, and finally succeeded in being elected President of Uruguay, realizing his political ambitions.
After coming to power, Mujica was not carried away by the joy of success, and the first thing he did was to improve the people's welfare and basic security system, so that the people could regain a sense of security and happiness.
Driven by such a benign policy, Uruguay's economic undertakings have developed rapidly, truly realizing the beautiful vision of national stability and prosperity for the people.
And all this is due to Mujica's correct leadership. Although he was already an old man at that time, he still used his own efforts to get the stormy Uruguay back on track.
Life is simple and fun
Later, Uruguay became one of the richest countries in South America, and the income of ordinary people has even reached the level of more than 10,000 per capita.
Although the country is rich, Mujica, as president, lives in poverty.
He receives $1,100 a month in a "dead salary," lives with his wife in a panel house, and in his spare time he likes to drive the dilapidated tractor to the fields.
Such a down-to-earth president surprised the Uruguayan people, and even many media often squatted in front of Mujica's house, wanting to interview the story behind his poor life.
At first, Mujica resisted the media's excessive attention to his private life, and over time, he found that both the media and the masses were simply curious and not malicious, so he took the initiative to accept an interview with a newspaper.
After receiving this notice, the head of the newspaper was ecstatic. In order to gain a deeper understanding of Mujica's life, he specially sent an experienced senior reporter to interview.
In order to allow more time for interviews, the reporter came to Mujica's house early in the morning. I thought I would have to wait a long time outside the door, but I didn't expect that Mujica had already got up and was feeding the chickens in the yard when he knocked on the door.
After seeing the comer, Mujica received the reporter warmly. Faced with such an important public figure, journalists showed strong restraint.
And the delicate Mujica naturally sensed the other party's unease, he laughed and chatted with the reporter while feeding the chicken, and after a while, the reporter's cramped was completely eliminated.
When Mujica was done, the sun was already hanging high overhead. Glancing at his watch, Mujica said to reporters with a smile:
"Would you like to take my tractor to see my land?"
The reporter was a little flattered by such an invitation, and he nodded hurriedly after reacting. Soon, Mujica drove his tractor out of the backyard and volunteered to be a "driver."
After getting into the car, the reporter felt a little trance. Looking at Mujica's gray hair and focused side face, the reporter suddenly understood the reason why he was liked and supported by many Uruguayan people.
Later, the two spent an afternoon in the field, and in addition to some simple small talk, the questions reserved in the reporter's interview record were answered.
What impressed him most was Mujica's answer to the question of why he was so "poor" as president of a country. Mujica himself, for his part, does not recognize that his current life is poor.
"Too many people are now kidnapped by money and lust and become their slaves. To be honest, I don't feel like I'm poor right now. I have the company of my family and a career I love, which is enough to satisfy me. As for the mansion or something, I don't think it's that important, and my small panel house is also very comfortable. ”
In Mujica, the reporter saw what a person with a truly rich heart should look like.
After this report was issued, it quickly caused a sensation among the Uruguayan people. Looking at the plainly dressed president in the magazine, they felt very close and loved and supported him even more.
Reduced to bland, respectable
In 2015, at the age of 80, Mujica couldn't bear the pain of his illness and tearfully chose to resign.
On the day he left the presidential palace, Mujica locked himself in his office for an entire afternoon without asking anyone to help him sort things out.
Looking at the place where he used to work every day, Mujica's eyes were full of helplessness and reluctance. He couldn't bear to be separated from his fellow workers and regretted that the long-term goals he had set had not been achieved.
After packing his things, Mujica slowly walked out of the office with a cardboard box that seemed to weigh a thousand pounds in his arms, and gently closed its door.
At this time, the sun has set, and the last sunset reflects on the horizon, looking so beautiful and tragic.
Mujica thought that the journey home would be quiet, but he did not expect that the outside of the presidential palace was already crowded with people who came to see them off.
Looking at everyone's kind faces, Mujica could no longer control her tear ducts, and two lines of hot tears rolled down her cheeks. He waved his hand and choked up.
"Thank you for remembering me. Let's go back quickly, everyone, we will definitely see you again if we have a chance. ”
The people who saw Mujica in tears were also very uncomfortable, everyone did not speak, silently watching the president who dedicated his life to Uruguay, subordinate to his era slowly ending.
After returning to the bland, Mujica recuperated while continuing to engage in agricultural activities, which he loved. For the high pension, he still chose to donate the remaining money to poor people in need after leaving enough for basic living expenses.
For him, money has never been a measure of happiness, and a prosperous life comes to a greater extent from the fullness of the spiritual world.
Seeing his "poor" life, many onlookers expressed regret, and many people advised him to keep some money for himself.
However, Mujica did not care about this.
"I believe that my kindness will not let me end up with a bad ending."
Now Mujica still lives in his small panel house, drives the little Beetle that has accompanied him for decades, and lives a dull and fulfilling life with his wife.
Looking back on Mujica's life, it is undoubtedly full of tribulations.
As a politician, he endured multiple assassinations and decades in prison, but was not defeated by these blows, but gradually grew into an indestructible warrior.
No matter what test fate gave him, Mujica always smiled. In the photo, he is like a kind old grandfather, and his smile is so kind and warm.
Although Mujica has been out of the public eye since 2015, the Uruguayan people have not forgotten him and have always been grateful for what Mujica has done.
To this day, on the streets of Uruguay, you can still hear people mention Mujica's name, and they are expressing their respect and love for Mujica in their own way.
In Mujica, we can find so many good qualities that are worth carrying forward. The passage of time has made him no longer as vigorous as his youth, but the precipitation of history has also allowed this great man to permanently live in the merit book of the times.