El Pepe is the President of Uruguay. President of Uruguay Jose Mujica. The president carries water for the household himself from a well in the yard

The presidential campaign has started in Uruguay: at the end of October, the country's residents will elect a new head of state. The struggle between the candidates is serious, but the whole world is much more interested in the legacy of outgoing leader Jose Mujica, who built “the most liberal country in Latin America.”

(Total 9 photos)

Jose Mujica became famous throughout the world for his incredible altruism and radical reforms. In 2013, the influential magazine The Economist recognized Uruguay as “country of the year.” Moreover, this Latin American state became the first to receive such an honor; previously the magazine named only “people of the year.” The editors explained their choice simply: from a conservative-Catholic country, it quickly turned into a real stronghold of social liberalism.

1. Uruguay President Jose Mujica despises everyday life, comfort and convenience

In just a few years, same-sex marriage, marijuana and abortion were legalized there. The leading role in these transformations was played by José Mujica, a president of left-wing convictions, whose lifestyle aroused respect even from the right-wing British newspaper The Daily Mail, which loves to expose “fighters for the people’s happiness” who live beyond their means. The article about the Uruguayan president was headlined “Finally! A politician who does NOT hide his property!”

2. President of Uruguay Jose Mujica at the door of his “residence”

Mujica really has nothing to hide. Having become president, he abandoned the luxurious palace, in which numerous Uruguayan caudillos had previously lived, and settled on his wife’s farm in the vicinity of the capital, Montevideo. It is not easy to guess that the president lives in a modest one-bedroom house: his car, a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle, is parked in front of the house surrounded by chrysanthemums. The security is represented by two policemen, bored on the side of the country road leading to the farm, as well as three-legged Manuela, the favorite dog of the head of state.

3. Presidential motorcade - Mujica driving his car. Photo: miamiherald.com

The 78-year-old president himself spends his free time mainly working on a small garden. When age makes itself felt, he goes to a regular rural clinic, where he patiently waits for his turn to see a doctor, just like ordinary visitors. He also buys food at a regular store, where he drives his own car after work. At the same time, he spends very little money: he gives 90% of the presidential salary to charity, and he lives on about a thousand dollars a month.

4. Jose Mujica waits in the general queue to see a doctor at a rural clinic. Photo: hzm_umr/Twitter

Mujica really doesn’t like being called “the poorest president on the planet.” According to him, the poor are precisely those who surround themselves with incredible luxury, behind which hides complete spiritual and moral emptiness. But he just lives normally, in full accordance with his own needs. The President explains that for many years his ultimate dream was an ordinary mattress, so his current life suits him quite well.

5. The President is busy with housework

Mujica knows what he's talking about: he began his political career in the Marxist guerrilla movement Tupamaros. His fighters were known as a kind of “Robinhoods” - they robbed the rich and banks, after which they distributed money and property to the poor. Such expropriations were often accompanied by violence: Mujica, for example, was wounded six times in shootouts. When the military took power, most of the members of Tupamaros, including the future president, ended up behind bars. He spent a decade and a half in prison, two years alone at the bottom of a well, where conditions, of course, were very cramped: there was no mattress.

6. Mujica with the First Lady

The Uruguayan president, although he calls on the whole world to get out of the shackles of “immoderate consumption,” does not demand any asceticism from his fellow citizens. According to him, people have always strived and will always strive to live better, which, in general, is normal.

So Mujica abandoned the Marxist views of his youth and pursued moderate, center-left economic policies that have provided his country with steady 3 percent growth in recent years. The state invests significantly in national and infrastructure projects. For example, on the initiative of the president, every schoolchild in the country is provided with an inexpensive computer free of charge.

7. The President is making tea. Photo: ranaseten/Twitter

Under Mujica's leadership, Uruguay has also become a much less dangerous country. After the complete legalization of marijuana and the establishment of strict government control over its trafficking, transnational drug cartels began to leave the country. Marijuana became widely available, after which the popularity of heroin and cocaine began to decline sharply. No wars against the drug business were needed: Uruguay simply ceased to be a profitable place for its development.

By the way, the population, which at first perceived the legalization of marijuana with a fair amount of skepticism (the president’s rating then began to decline), soon realized all the positive aspects of the innovation. Now no one even raises the issue of restoring criminal liability for the possession and consumption of “weed.” Moreover, all over the world, Uruguay’s experience in this area is being actively studied and set as an example.

8. Two Comandantes: Mujica visiting Fidel Castro

After October, the country's residents will miss not only the president's altruism and readiness for reform. Many Uruguayans are impressed by his manner of dialogue: frank and even harsh. Six bullet wounds, a decade and a half in prison and advanced age can add grumpiness and quarrelsomeness to anyone. Of course, presidential status imposes certain restrictions, but Mujica remains a partisan at heart. In 2013, after negotiations with Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, the Uruguayan leader, believing that no one was listening to him, called his colleague an “old witch.” However, the microphone was turned on, so this definition was not only heard, but also instantly spread across social networks. Since then, the Argentine opposition has not called Kirchner anything else. Mujica's apology in this sense was little consolation for her.

9. Uruguayans love their president very much. The photo shows one of the manifestations of this love: Uruguayan fans at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Another episode from the same series occurred quite recently. The Uruguayan president, having learned about the disqualification of national team striker Luis Suarez in the midst of the FIFA World Cup, declared FIFA functionaries “old m...s.” He called the decision to disqualify himself “fascist.” When journalists asked if they could quote him, the head of state replied: “Yes, please! Publish it." Needless to say, his popularity after this among his fellow citizens skyrocketed. The defeat of the Uruguayan team by the Colombians only strengthened voters in the correctness of their president's words.

Currently, an election campaign is in full swing in Uruguay, in which Mujica is not taking part. But he will undoubtedly remain the legendary head of state who, as The Economist noted, “shifted the balance from the individual to the collective, from gloom to joy.”

Mujica was born to Lucy Cordano and Demetrio Mujica. Jose's mother came from a family of poor Italian immigrants. Demetrio Mujica, a descendant of Spanish Basques, was engaged in farming, but did not achieve much success; his farm went bankrupt, and he himself died. At the time of his father's death, Mujica Jr. was only 5 years old.

In his youth, José was a member of the National Party; there he became quite close friends with Enrique Erro. He also had the usual hobbies for a teenager - for example, Jose was quite actively involved in cycling.

In the early 60s, Mujica joined the Tupamaros movement, an armed rebel group inspired by stories of the Cuban revolution. In 1969, Jose took part in the capture of the city of Pando; alas, this city did not remain in the hands of the rebels for long. José Mujica was arrested and tried before a military court. In general, during his time in Tupamaros, Mujica more than once fell into the hands of the authorities; He was arrested at least four times. During his arrest in 1972, Jose received six bullet wounds at once; however, this did not force him to search for a more peaceful profession.

After the military mutiny of 1973, José was transferred to a military prison; there he spent 14 years - and for more than 2 years he had to sit at the bottom of a specially dug well. Mujica, however, did not break this - even from prison he continued to contact other Tupamaros leaders.

In 1985, constitutional democracy came to the country, and Mujica was released under an amnesty. A few years later, José - along with other Tupamaros - joined a number of left-wing organizations, creating the political party Movement of Popular Participation.

In 1994, Mujica was elected deputy, and in 1999, senator. His movement continued to gain popularity, not least thanks to the unique charisma of Mujica himself; by 2004, the Movement had become the second largest party within the Uruguayan Broad Front.

In 2004, Mujica was re-elected to the Senate. On March 1, 2005, President Tabaré Vázquez appointed José Mujica Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries; Jose held this position until the personnel changes in 2008. After resigning as minister, Mujica returned to the Senate.

Finance Minister Danilo Astori was widely considered Vázquez's most likely successor; however, Jose Mujica also had many supporters.

Best of the day

On July 28, 2009, Mujica won the party elections, becoming the presidential candidate of the Broad Front.

In the presidential elections, José Mujica received more than 48% of the votes; his competitor, ex-president Alberto Lacalle, managed to get only 30%. Since Mujica still failed to get an absolute majority of votes, a second round was organized; here Jose already received 52% - against Lacalle's 43%.

The new Mujica government was assembled from members of various branches of the Broad Front; Danilo Astori became its vice president. High hopes were placed on Jose Mujica - he was the first ex-rebel who managed to sit in the presidential chair of Uruguay.

In June 2012, Jose Mujica and his government started talking about legalizing the marijuana trade; this measure was supposed to reduce the number of crimes related to drugs in one way or another and bring additional income to the treasury. Mujica called on the leaders of other countries to also follow his example.

Simple, liberal, and most importantly - the poorest in the world. This is the President of Uruguay, 78-year-old Jose Mujica, who with his initiatives managed to make almost all the country’s youth fall in love with him.

This man's lifestyle amazes the world community. Mujica, who won the presidential election in 2009, gives 90% of his own salary (about $12 thousand) to charity. He himself is content with little, living on a modest farm near the capital Montevideo. His estate differs from its neighbors only in that it is guarded by two policemen.

The president's best friend is his three-legged dog Manuela, with whom he is practically inseparable. The Uruguayan leader's vehicle is a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle, the current cost of which does not reach $2 thousand.

“This is a question of freedom,” Mujica succinctly explains his refusal to respect the respectability befitting a president.

It matches the lifestyle of the head of state and his style of government, during which gay marriage, abortion and marijuana were legalized.

With the light hand of Mujica, Uruguay acquired the reputation of the most liberal state in Latin America. The tiny country of just over 3 million people, sandwiched between giants Argentina and Brazil, is coming under scrutiny.

For example, the authoritative British publication The Economist at the end of last year announced the country of the year for the first time in its history, and Uruguay became it. Analysts positively assessed the legalization of gay marriage and marijuana. The first, in their opinion, simply makes people happier at no cost, and the second helps law enforcement officers concentrate on more serious crimes. The magazine also spoke approvingly of Mujica himself.

“Modest, liberal and cheerful,” the publication wrote about the unique poor president.

However, Mujica does not consider himself poor.

“The poor are those who need more and more. They are constantly chasing something in circles, and they are constantly running out of time,” says the Uruguayan leader.

According to Mujica, he himself chose a modest life, but he can live the way he wants. The President recognizes the fact that in the eyes of the world he looks like an eccentric old man, and at the same time he has the great luxury of being able to live as he sees fit.

And most modern leaders, through their policies, force people into mass consumption, which then results in an economic crisis, justifying Mujica’s own asceticism.

Modest and honest

The path to the modest estate of the Uruguayan president lies through a dirt road, and he himself dresses like an ordinary farmer, carries water and grows flowers.

The middle-aged Mujica has a turbulent past. Coming from a family of poor farmers, in his youth he was a member of the radical left-wing Tupamaros movement, which became popular after the victory of the Cuban revolution in 1959. Apart from spreading Marxism, the movement's main focus was on capturing the rich and powerful and then exacting a ransom for their release - the so-called revolutionary tax.

In memory of this period of his life, Mujica was left with traces of six bullet wounds and memories of a 14-year prison sentence. Moreover, he was kept in solitary confinement for most of his time. Knowing firsthand what it means to live in inhumane conditions, Mujica openly talks about how, upon being released, he was glad to be able to sleep on a simple mattress.

After his release in 1985, Mujica, together with other members of Tupamaros and representatives of some left-wing organizations, created the political party Popular Participation Movement. It quickly gained popularity, and already in 1994 Mujica was elected to parliament.

By 2004, the Popular Participation Movement turned out to be a major party that became part of the Uruguayan Broad Front, a left-wing political coalition in the country. In the summer of 2009, Mujica won the party elections, running as a presidential candidate from the Broad Front. This was followed by victory in the election of the head of state.

And it’s not just the legalization of marijuana initiated by the country’s leader. For example, now almost every Uruguayan child has access to a laptop or personal computer with the Internet without any restrictions. The government is doing everything possible to ensure that children even from the poorest families can use a PC.

Thus, with Mujica coming to power, the country began implementing the program “A laptop for every child,” under which all children of the poor, without exception, who do not have computers at home, received them from the state. In the first two years of the program, 362 thousand students acquired computers.

Poor children are Mujica's main headache. According to the president, after the end of his term of office, he plans to adopt and settle 30-40 homeless and abandoned children on his farm and personally teach them how to farm.

In addition, significant steps have been taken to provide low-cost housing for young people. Even Mujica's wife, Lucia Topolanski, a former guerrilla fighter and now senator, donates most of her income to a fund for low-income housing.

The first couple of the state does not want either wealth or motorcades. The philosophy of life of the Uruguayan president is simple: if a person does not set himself the task of buying a lot of expensive things, there is no point in him working tirelessly all his life. This frees up more time for yourself.

In turn, Areshe reminds that her country is small and inhabited mainly by simple, peaceful people. In such conditions, the president does not require large-scale security measures.

Stable and liberal Uruguay is one of the most economically developed countries in Latin America. The per capita GDP here is $16,600. For comparison: in oil-rich Venezuela it is $13,600, and in neighboring Brazil it is $12,100.

Among all Latin American states, Uruguay, according to experts, has the most even distribution of income, which is why this country is often called the Switzerland of Latin America. And although many local industries are controlled by the state, the government has in recent years turned its course toward free markets and begun to encourage foreign investment. To ensure them, free trade zones, exempt from taxes, have been created.

At the same time, as Uruguayan Rodrigo Orozco notes, in other parts of the country taxes are high and goods are more expensive than in neighboring Argentina. For example, a car whose price in Uruguay reaches $25 thousand can be bought in Argentina for $15 thousand.

This does not prevent international experts from praising Uruguay's successes. According to the Legatum London Research Institute's Quality of Life Index, Uruguay is the best place to live in Latin America. The index takes into account such indicators of countries as the state of the economy, entrepreneurship and opportunity, education, health, safety, and personal freedoms.

According to the Quality of Life Index, Uruguay ranks 30th. For comparison: the Czech Republic is on the 29th line, and Italy is on the 32nd. Uruguay's neighbors, Argentina and Brazil, are in 45th and 46th places, respectively.

However, Mujica is skeptical about all kinds of ratings and claims that if he “worried about sociologists, he would not be president.”

Full legalization

At the instigation of the current president of Uruguay, this country was the first in the world to fully legalize marijuana. The law adopted here allows not only the use, sale or cultivation of narcotic grass for non-commercial purposes, but also its commercial cultivation under state supervision.

Marijuana, according to the adopted law, can be sold in pharmacies at prices set by the authorities, and only adult citizens have the right to purchase it and in limited quantities. The sale of marijuana is prohibited for foreigners.

For all his innovations on the internal structure of Uruguay, Mujica was even nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. His candidacy was submitted by the leftist party Frente Amplio, the farmers' association PlantaTu Planta and the Dutch Institute for Peace on Drugs.

Mujica thanked for the high honor.

“We only suggested trying a different path, since repression no longer works,” Mujica commented on his initiative. - We don’t know if we will succeed. We propose to fight not against marijuana, but against drug trafficking.”

Today in Uruguay they are confident that legalizing the production and sale of weed will not lead to people consuming it more, but will simply allow them to control this business.

The marijuana will most likely be grown in fields owned by the Department of Defense. The authorities are inclined to make this decision for security reasons - they say that the military will provide reliable security for the narcotic plants.

With all this, Mujica does not see any sedition, much less a breakthrough, in the extensive liberalization of the country’s legislation.

“We apply a simple principle: recognize the facts. Abortion is as old as time. Gay marriage - I beg you, it’s older than the world,” says the President of Uruguay.

He also clarifies that he is not a reformer, but merely recognizes the objective reality: according to Mujica, not legalizing gay marriage and drugs would simply be torture for some people.

Another innovation was the legalization of abortion. There is still a lot of controversy around it, but, according to Areshe, this is another step towards democracy and giving women the right to choose.

“Uruguay is becoming an increasingly attractive country,” writes the American magazine International Living. - Peaceful and stable, Uruguay is protected from natural disasters. He’s like the Old World, but with Latin American charm and flair.”

In general, the Uruguayans interviewed by the Correspondent value the government for a stable and calm life, but they perceive the lifestyle and eccentricities of their president ambiguously. Some believe that the head of state should still have a more respectable image, and that Mujica, who lives like ordinary people, thus popularizes poverty, which is also not very good.

The president himself says that you must always remain true to yourself.

“My lifestyle is a consequence of my wounds. I am the son of my history,” Mujica once said.

This material was published in No. 11 of the Correspondent magazine dated March 21, 2014. Reproduction of Korrespondent magazine publications in full is prohibited. The rules for using materials from the Korrespondent magazine published on the Korrespondent.net website can be found.

The Republic of Uruguay is a Latin American country. Its economic development is quite high for South American countries. In 2013, Uruguay ranked third in terms of runway in Latin America. The average salary in this country is approximately eight hundred dollars.

Brief biography of Jose Mujica

The former, whose full name is José Alberto Mujica, was born on the twentieth of May 1935. His mother was from a poor family of Italian migrants. Father is Spanish. He was a farmer. He died when Jose was five. At the age of twenty-five, Alberto Mujica joined the Tupamaros national liberation movement. He became its active member. The Tupamaros organization was akin to the famous Robin Hood squad. Members of the organization robbed the rich and distributed the money and food they obtained to the poor. As a result, Jose was arrested more than once.

The first time he went to jail was in 1970. But he was able to escape from prison. Moreover, his wife Lucia helped him in this. In 1972, Jose was caught by the police again. This time he served more than 10 years in prison. He was locked in solitary confinement, and even “thrown” at the bottom of a well for 2 years. Jose was released under an amnesty in 1985. In total, he served 14 years in prison.

Political career of José Mujica

Jose Mujica's political career began in 1985, when democracy was restored in the country. He realized that Robin Hood's methods were ineffective. And we need to fight poverty differently. Political scientists said about him that he spoke “the language of the people.” They remember that Jose rode an ordinary scooter. Before his appointment as president, he managed to be a senator and even a minister.

Presidential race

In 2008, José Mujica was officially approved as a presidential candidate in Uruguay. In the election campaign, he promised to continue the policies of Tabare Vasquek, who was in power at the time. He lost the first round without gaining even half the votes. In the second, a little more than 50% of the country's residents voted for him. But in 2009, José Mujica was finally elected president of Uruguay.

Benefits of the Presidential Office

According to his status, the President of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, was supposed to live in a luxurious villa, drive expensive cars, live lavishly and enjoy other advantages that his position gave him. He received a monthly salary of $12,500.

How did Uruguayan President Jose Mujica live?

Instead of a luxurious life, Jose chose another, more modest one. Instead of a villa, he stayed in his small house on the outskirts of Montevideo, around which he and his wife grew flowers. I drove an old Volkswagen. Only two policemen guarded him. There were no bodyguards at all. He never lived in luxury, so for the entire five years that he was president, he was called the poorest leader in the country.

Of course, as President of Uruguay, Jose Mujica had to follow a certain protocol. Receive high-ranking guests from other countries and wear full dress. The position obliged, but he did it without much desire. Only because this is all accepted according to etiquette. And when the meetings ended, he went to his cozy little house and put his only formal suit in the closet.

Jose Mujica is still married. His wife, Lucia Topolanski Saavedra, supported him in everything and still does so. Lucia herself still gives half of her pension to the poor, believing that the remaining money is enough for them to live. Jose is an ascetic and vegetarian. Their table was never replete with food. They still live modestly, their food is ordinary, simple, like that of many Uruguayans.

How does the poorest president of Uruguay live now? An ordinary life. Jose never had a servant. Laundry is drying on lines in the yard. There is an old rickety chair in the garden. Among the living creatures, there is only one three-legged dog, Manuela, whom Jose loves very much. The farm has no driveways. There is only one narrow dirt road leading to the grassy yard. They sell the flowers that they grow with their wife. But these funds most often go to charity.

All of Jose Mujica's property is an old car. All other property is registered in the name of his wife. These are several old tractors and the very house in which he and his wife live.

The poorest president

Jose Mujica, the President of Uruguay, whose photo is in this article, has always been of the opinion that he can live well with what he has. And he gave 90% of his salary to poor families or used this money to help those in need. He kept only $1,250 for himself, which is “penny” for the head of state.

Jose Mujica is the President of Uruguay, who believed that others live on less money, so this amount is enough for him to live. He always said that the Earth is rich in resources, and every person can live comfortably. Many earn enough to live an ordinary life, but are “obsessed” with the idea of ​​wealth, while others struggle to make ends meet.

In 2012, José Mujica announced that the Presidential Palace would be used as housing for the homeless. He believed that the cause of many ills was a model of civilization that was created incorrectly, in his opinion.

What could the poorest president of Uruguay do for his country?

Thanks to Jose Mujica, Uruguay has become one of the fastest growing countries. During his five years as president, he reduced the unemployment rate by almost half, and it is now considered the lowest in all of Latin America. There are much fewer poor people. The Central Bank's reserves were increased fourfold. And they amounted to almost 8 billion dollars. Uruguayan President José Mujica also created a social construction program. For government purposes, not only the country's budget money was allocated, but also part of his personal funds.

There are also unusual ones that are worth highlighting separately. The first one - he legalized it. And the second one - Jose issued a law that allowed the cultivation and sale of hemp. True, under strict government control. Jose believed that thanks to the marijuana law there would be many fewer drug traffickers in his country. And, accordingly, less money will need to be spent on fighting them.

Jose Alberto Mujica Cordano is the fortieth president of Uruguay, a well-known public figure who has earned respect far from his successful political activities. Compatriots gave the leader a nickname, which translates from Spanish as “the poorest president in the world.” And indeed it is. Jose Alberto Mujica Cordano gives about ninety percent of his salary to charity.

In addition, the current president is an example of a true government leader. Jose Mujica lives in modest conditions and knows how to save money. The President renounced all the privileges associated with a high office. The leader flies to all state-level meetings in economy class; instead of executive cars, he prefers his old car. And no, the president is not stingy or greedy at all. Most of Jose Mujica's savings, as already mentioned, goes to help those in need.

Childhood and adolescence

In the capital of Uruguay (Montevideo), on May 20, 1935, the President of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, was born. His father, Dementrio Mujica, was a descendant of Spanish Basques, and his mother, Lucy Cordano's ancestors were Spanish immigrants from Liguria. They lived poorly. The head of the family unsuccessfully tried to start his own business in agriculture. His father died when the future president was five years old.

As a teenager, the future president was actively involved in cycling. When he got older, he joined the National Party.

Criminal past

The President of Uruguay has had some problems with the law in the past and has never hidden it. It all started with the fact that at the age of twenty-five, Mujica became one of the participants in the radical leftist rebel movement. This national liberation movement was called Tupamaros. The idea of ​​equal rights for workers was inspired by the Cuban revolution. Community members, considering themselves continuers of the revolution on Liberty Island, robbed banks, vans, and trading stores. All the money was distributed to those in need.

José Mujica was arrested four times during his participation in the insurgency. The first time he appeared before the law was in 1970. Two years later, the future leader was arrested again. In 1973, the activist was sentenced by a military court for armed rebellion.

The future head of state spent about ten years in prison. For two years he was alone with himself in a special well. Mujica later admitted that in order to stay sane, he talked to frogs and insects. But the spirit of the prisoner was not broken; he still found a way to maintain contact with his like-minded people.

Political career

It was not until 1985 that constitutional democracy was restored in Uruguay. The future president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, was released under an amnesty. In total, he gave fourteen years of his life to prison. After the amnesty, his comrades, former members of the Tupamaros group, organized the political party “Movement of Popular Participation”. Four years later the organization was recognized. The party exists to this day, only as an integral part of another political force - the “Broad Front”.

Ten years after leaving prison, Mujica received the status of deputy. In 1999, he was appointed to the position of senator. The future leader's career took off rapidly. The success is due to the fact that the organized movement was popular among the people. The bright personality of Jose Mujica also played a significant role.

The next step up the career ladder was the post of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries for the future president. In 2009, Mujica decided to participate in the elections. His candidacy was put forward by the Broad Front. He overtook his rival by a margin of only nine percent, and on March 1, 2010, José Mujica was officially the President of Uruguay.

Mujica is the first rebel who was able to obtain such a high government position. The leader's economic policy was center-left in nature. During his reign, he was able to nationalize enterprises in key industries for the country, which included mainly energy and telecommunications companies. Huge funds were allocated from the state budget for national projects. Jose Mujica forced his subordinates to establish strict control over the price level. The President of Uruguay believed it was necessary to provide a good education to every child, so schoolchildren were provided with inexpensive computers for free.

Progressive solutions

The President believed that it is possible to benefit from every situation; it is only important to set priorities correctly. Jose Mujica did not consider the use of marijuana dangerous to health, but he recognized drug trafficking as a big problem. For this reason, in 2012, Mujica and his like-minded people started talking about legalizing cannabis. Politicians justified this decision by the desire to reduce crime in the country and replenish the treasury. The legalization of marijuana has led to an outflow of drug traffickers from Uruguay. Soon other substances, such as cocaine and heroin, fell out of favor. And all because drugs simply became available to everyone, and interest in them disappeared.

In contrast, Mujica advocated minimizing tobacco use. In terms of anti-measures taken, the state took first place in the world.

Personal life

The family of the President of Uruguay is his wife Lucia Topolanski, who is also an activist in the popular participation movement. The couple lived in a civil marriage for a long time and only in 2005 they decided to officially tie the knot. The couple has no children.

Lifestyle

The President of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, and his lifestyle are of genuine interest. The leader of the nation considered excess money, resources and time pointless. Therefore, everything that surrounds him looks quite ascetic. The most expensive purchase of the country's leader over a long period of time is the Volkswagen Beetle.

The president's peace is protected by only two security guards. A leader seeks joy in simple things - in communication with his wife and his old dog. Mujica has no bank accounts or any debt obligations.

Looking at this man, you would never say that this is the President of Uruguay. Photo Mujicas are always simple-minded and warm. He was never a fan of formality and did not wear ties. The leader of Uruguay does not have a mobile phone or a credit card. But gardening brings great pleasure to the president.

The President of Uruguay himself and the biography of Jose Mujica deserve due attention, since, despite all the difficulties, he managed to remain a kind person and become a charismatic politician. The personality of the leader of Uruguay was and remains an example to follow in society.