Rabat- A wealthy Arab Sheikh has reportedly made an offer to President Jose Mujica of Uruguay, the poorest president on earth, to buy his old blue 1987 Volkswagen Beetle for one million dollars.
In an interview with Uruguayan weekly Busqueda, Jose Mujica reportedly revealed that he was offered $1 million from an Arab Sheikh to buy his old car, which has become a symbol of his humble lifestyle.
President Mujica said that he received the offer during the G77 summit in Bolivia in June. When asked about the offer, he said, “That’s what they said to me, but I didn’t give it any thought.” Reuters, meanwhile, quoted him on Friday, in a recent interview with the Uruguayan National Radio Station, as saying that ‘’ I won’t sell it…. I will refuse any offer to sell it.’’
Jose Mujica bought his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle during Uruguay’s presidential election campaign in October 2010. When he came to power in 2010, he famously declared the car was the sum total of his worldly wealth, according to the Independent.
Since then, pictures of the worn-down VW Beetle have flooded social media worldwide and became a popular symbol of his humble life.
The “Poorest President” on Earth has been donating 80% of his salary to charity since he was elected. He reportedly answered a question about the reason why someone would pay a fortune for his car by saying: ‘’Human beings have a bit of fetishism; we need certain material symbols.”