The World’s Poorest President

　In 2012,/the Earth Summit was held/in Rio de Janeiro.// The theme of the Summit/was environmental problems.// José Mujica,/the president of Uruguay at that time,/made a speech there.//
　The speech was about human happiness/rather than environmental problems.// During his speech,/Mujica asked the audience these questions:/“What would happen to the earth/if everyone in the world/owned a car?// Can seven or eight billion people/enjoy the same lifestyle/as that in the rich Western societies?// Do we have enough resources for that?”//
　Today,/many people seek economic development,/but Mujica thought/that this tendency damaged the earth.// The speech showed his belief/that people had to change their lifestyle/for the earth and their own happiness.//


　Mujica was born/in a poor area of Montevideo/in 1935.// When he was in his early 20s,/the economy in Uruguay/went down.// He became concerned about the gap/between the rich and the poor.//
　Mujica thought/that political change was necessary.// He fought against the military government/and got arrested four times.// It was 13 years/that Mujica spent in jail.// However,/he did not give up his hope/of changing Uruguay/into a better country.//
　In 1985,/he was finally released.// He never lost his strong will/to change society/and became a politician/ten years later.// Then in 2010,/he was elected/as the 40th president of Uruguay.//


　Mujica’s speech at the Summit/made him known widely/to the world.// He was called/“the world’s poorest president”/because of his way of life.//
　Mujica actually lived a very humble life.// He lived in a small house/in the suburbs.// He got water from a well.// He plowed his land,/and grew vegetables and flowers there.// He even donated about 90% of his income/to charity.// His only possession of value/was a very old car.// Never did he need fancy things/to be happy.//
　Mujica said in an interview,/“I can live well/with what I have.// I’m called the poorest president,/but I’m not poor.// Truly poor people are/those who only work/to keep an expensive lifestyle/and endlessly want more and more.”//


　In his speech,/Mujica said/that many people worked hard/to earn more money/than they actually needed.// He said,/“We do not come into this world/solely for economic development.// We come here to be happy.”// He was concerned/that seeking economic development/prevented people/from finding true happiness.//
　Mujica stated/that true happiness came/from human relationships/full of love,/not from material wealth. // His words helped people/recognize important values/in their life.//
　Mujica said,/“Development has to be/in favor of human happiness:/love on Earth,/human relationships,/caring for children,/having friends,/and fulfilling our basic needs.”// He concluded his speech/by saying,/“Happiness is the most precious treasure/we have.”//