The world's poorest president

[Second Summer]

It's a common grumble that politicians' lifestyles are far removed from those of their electorate. Not so in Uruguay. Meet the president - who lives on a ramshackle farm and gives away most of his pay.

Laundry is strung outside the house. The water comes from a well in a yard, overgrown with weeds. Only two police officers and Manuela, a three-legged dog, keep watch outside.

This is the residence of the president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, whose lifestyle clearly differs sharply from that of most other world leaders.

Jose Mujica: The world's 'poorest' president (BBC)
He gives away most of his income to the poor and to small entrepreneurs.

The article also mentions he's a vegetarian! Pretty awesome, in other words!

 

[AeryFairy]

How weird, I was reading about him for the first time earlier today. I just wish more leaders behaved in this way.

 

[TreeHugger]

Love this:

"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."