The president without a palace

When Jose Mujica (pronounced Hose Muhika) was elected president of Uruguay, a country with a population of 3.5 million, in 2010, he drew the attention of the entire world in many respects. I must admit that he caught my attention too, because you don't often come across a president who refuses to govern the country from the presidential palace and chooses to govern from the small house where Jose Mujica still lives today. In this part of the world, we are accustomed to seeing our heads of state in palaces or other massive and luxurious buildings.

Mujica broke some molds that people thought were hard to break. He has a life that is rightfully the subject of documentaries and books. In the mid-1960s, Mujica joined the Tupamaros movement, an extreme-left armed political group inspired by the Cuban Revolution. During the military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s, he was tortured and spent 14 years in prison. I sensed that the period of detention was a real school of life for Mujica. A former revolutionary and farmer, Mujica would go on to be the 40th president of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015. According to various studies, during this time, Uruguay became one of the healthiest and most socially democratic nations in the world.

Mujica is described as the "poorest president" in the country due to his simple lifestyle and his donation of approximately 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities that benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs. But the interesting thing is that Mujica does not feel poor. He also says, "poor people are those who work just to maintain an expensive lifestyle and always want more."

In April, the 89-year-old Mujica admitted that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and it seems that as he approaches the end of his life, the lessons of wisdom he has received are becoming deeper. This is news that saddens me because I have been following the political activities of this politician for years. In the 21st century, he seemed like a fantastic human being to me. Mujica is a character from whom we can all learn something, whether through his style of politics or his way of living in a small house. In his recent interview with the New York Times, Mujica says that people waste most of their time aimlessly, and that people invent endless needs. "The market rules us and steals our lives." Mujica encourages us to strive not just for wealth, but for happiness. Capitalism has turned people into greedy shoppers; we live to buy, we live to pay for something. When asked why he refused to live in the presidential palace, Mujica gave an answer that would make us all laugh. "The presidential palace has 4 floors, and you have to pass through 3 blocks to serve tea. It's an unnecessary thing. It needs to be turned into a school," he said. A nature lover, the former president spends most of his time admiring the birds and animals around him.

Setting aside this man's humble lifestyle, what impressed me more were his life lessons and philosophical teachings, which I believe each of us has something to learn from. Mujica has been called the "philosopher president" because of his speeches regarding humanity and the legacy we will leave to future generations. Because of his different style of governing a country, he has been described as an "anti-politician" who "speaks the language of the people." He stated that it took him a lifetime to understand that "it is a mistake to think that power comes from God, and that power comes from the hearts of the masses."

Mujica is an atheist. However, he notes that 60 percent of humanity believes in something and that we must respect their choice, but that there are still many unanswered questions: "What is the meaning of life? Where do we come from and where are we going?" When asked if there is a God he believes in, he says there isn't, but I respect people who believe because facing the thought of death is like a comfort. In a 2017 interview, he said, "My doubts about God are philosophical. Or maybe I believe in God. Maybe I don't know [...] Or maybe as I get closer to death, I need Him."

To combat drug trafficking crimes and weaken the power and influence of the drug mafia, state-controlled marijuana sales were legalized during Mujica's presidency. Other controversial reforms passed were the same-sex marriage law and the legalization of abortion for women.

Mujica also states that books are the most beautiful inventions of humanity and that people should read more. Although he is optimistic and says he loves life very much, he is afraid of "crazy people with atomic bombs" and says we should build windmills. But still, people spend more money on weapons. "What a complex animal man is. Both intelligent and stupid," says the former president of Uruguay. I don't think anyone can disagree with him. Isn't that so?

In 2015, Mujica visited Turkey, and at a press conference attended by numerous Turkish politicians and well-known figures, Mujica asked people not to call him "Sir," but just "Pepe," as he likes having a nickname. Turkish readers can read more about Jose Mujica in Ernesto Tulbovitz's book, "A Black Sheep in Power: The President Without a Palace, Jose Mujica."

I know that in the near future, there will not be a president without a palace in Turkey or any country in this region, because the people in this geography have not yet understood that "power does not come from God, but from the hearts of the masses." But still, nothing can stop us from dreaming of such a president. Sometimes dreams come true. Although, only sometimes.