The president of a country, who governs the country to great prosperity during his term of office, still chooses to farm and live in a simple prefabricated house. Former Uruguayan President José Mujica, known as "the poorest president in the world", is an extraordinary president who balances his ideas with his practical life in the midst of contradictions.
José Mujica, the name is synonymous with simplicity and nobility in Uruguay and around the world. Born in 1935 in a small town near Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, Mujica's childhood was marked by poverty and hardship. His parents were ordinary farmers, and the family's life depended on growing crops to sustain them, and that kind of poverty made Mujica experience the suffering of the people at the bottom from an early age.
A life of poverty also tempered Mujica's will. Not only does he help his family farm on weekends, but he also bikes to Montevideo to sell flowers and works in a bakery. These experiences not only allowed him to develop good skills, but also developed his sensitivity and empathy for society. Perhaps it was fateful that Mujica's experience laid a solid foundation for him to enter the political arena in the future.
The young Mujica was passionate about politics. In the middle of the 20th century, revolutionary movements were in full swing across South America, and Mujica also threw himself into revolutionary activities in Uruguay. He was not only a brilliant cyclist, but also a passionate revolutionary. In 1960, at the age of 25, Mujica joined the revolutionary organization and began his career as a political struggler.
The road to politics has never been easy. Mujica's years of captivity in the struggle against the military dictatorship have been painful but have also strengthened his political beliefs. After his release from prison, Mujica continued his political activities and was eventually elected president of Uruguay in 2009, which can be described as a phoenix nirvana.
During his presidency, Mujica's policies led to a significant boost to Uruguay's economy. In 2017, Uruguay's per capita GDP exceeded 100,000 yuan, compared to China's per capita GDP of more than 59,000 yuan in the same period. During Mujica's reign, Uruguay not only experienced an astonishing rate of economic growth, but also had forward-looking social policies, such as the promotion of education and health reforms, the drastic reduction of the country's poverty rate, and the implementation of a series of environmental policies to improve the country's sustainable development capacity. These policies have not only improved the quality of life of its citizens, but have also won Uruguay widespread international acclaim.
In stark contrast to his political achievements, Mujica's private life was extremely austere. He refused to live in the presidential palace, choosing instead to stay on his farm on the outskirts of the capital, where there was only a small wooden plank. He did not change his way of life because he became the leader of the country, and he still went to the fields every day to grow flowers and vegetables, and lived a simple peasant life.
Such life choices earned Mujica the title of "the world's poorest president". But this kind of "poverty" is not a lack of wealth, but a kind of selective simplicity, a kind of indifference to power and detachment from materialism. Mujica believed that leaders should be in tune with the people, and that the luxury of life would only weaken the connection between politicians and the people. This kind of view and way of life is extremely rare in the world today, but it has won the respect and followers of countless people.
In addition to lifestyle choices, Mujica has also shown a different kind of intelligence in politics. He is one of the few modern politicians who puts the interests of the country above personal interests. His advocacy of open-door policies, support for same-sex marriage, and the legalization of marijuana were controversial at the time, but ultimately proved to be beneficial in making society more inclusive and progressive.
Mujica's policies and actions not only caused great repercussions in Uruguay, but also earned him a high reputation internationally. His image and story have been a source of inspiration for political and social reform in many countries. Although his policies were not without controversy, his love for society and respect for his citizens was beyond reproach.
Mujica used his practical actions to explain what is truly pragmatic for the people and what is real poverty. He is not only the pride of Uruguayans, but also a role model for those around the world who seek simplicity, justice and humanitarianism. In this materialistic age, Mujica uses his own life and political ideas to show us another possibility.