World’s ‘poorest’ ex-president Mujica turns down pension

Former Uruguayan President José Mujica drives a tractor on his farm on the outskirts of Montevideo, Uruguay Image copyright EPA Symbol caption José Mujica has retired from the Senate to spend extra time on his farm

Former Uruguayan chief José Mujica, who was dubbed “the world’s poorest president” for his modest way of life, says he does not need any pension from his time as a senator.

Mr Mujica resigned on Tuesday from the submit of senator, which he had held for the reason that 2015, while his five-year-time period as president had ended.

He stated he would not serve out his time period until 2020 because as he used to be “tired after a protracted adventure”.

The former left-wing rebellion is 83.

Uruguay’s rebellion grew to become president comes to term’s finish Uruguay bids farewell to Jose Mujica, its pauper president The world’s ‘poorest’ president

The ex-president made his resignation professional in a letter to the pinnacle of the Senate, Lucía Topolansky, who’s also Uruguay’s vice-president and Mr Mujica’s spouse of THIRTEEN years.

In it he said “the reasons for resigning are non-public, i might name them ‘tiredness after a protracted adventure’.”

“Then Again, even as my thoughts works, i cannot surrender from cohesion and the fight of ideas,” the letter continued.

Outspoken ex-rebellion

Mr Mujica, who’s recognized for his direct and sometimes vibrant language, also apologised to “any colleagues i’ll have individually harm in the heat of the debate”.

In 2013, he needed to apologise to the then-president of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, after calling her an “old hag”. He additionally apologised to her husband and previous president, Néstor Kirchner, who had a lazy eye, for calling him “the move-eyed guy”.

His comments were recorded at a information convention whilst he did not fully grasp the microphone was on.

In 2016, he mentioned the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, was once “as mad as a goat”.

However it was once his down-to-earth way of life and refusal to live in the presidential palace during his time in administrative center which made him truly famous.

Then and now, he and his wife, who used to be his lifestyles spouse and fellow guerrilla fighter long sooner than they married in 2005, survive a modest flower farm on the outskirts of Montevideo.

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Media caption”i’ll appear to be an eccentric old guy… However this is a loose choice.”

He donated such a lot of his income as president to charity and the one possession he had while he took place of work in 2010 was once his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.

The Light-blue, beat-up Beetle become so well-known he used to be introduced $1m (£780,000) for it in 2014, but became the offer down as a result of he stated he might don’t have any method of transporting his 3-legged canine without it.

Mr Mujica’s resignation letter did not come as a surprise as he had introduced that he might ship it right through his last appearance within the Senate on 3 August.

During the consultation, a few of his political competitors mentioned that they were not sure whether to consider his assurances that he could retire from energetic politics for good.

Senator Luis Alberto Heber cited rumours that Mr Mujica used to be stepping all the way down to run for president for a 2nd time in 2019.

“We naturally assume that it is great that you just need to spend your unfastened time resting in preference to operating against our celebration and for yours, we would like you a relaxed rest!” he said.

While his colleagues in the Senate wished him well, a few of his critics on social media mentioned he will need to have apologised for his movements all over his time as a member of the armed left-wing rise up team Tupamaros in the nineteen sixties and 70s.

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