Paraguay's president donates his entire salary to the poor

Ségolène Team Observers — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:07:51 +0200

The socialist wind currently blowing through South America reached Paraguay this year with the election of leftist Chavez-ally Fernando Lugo. On his first day, the ex-bishop announced that he would be renouncing his entire salary and donating it to the poor. Not like other presidents then...

Paraguay's head of state doesn't earn a great deal - at US$72,000 [AP] (€49,000) he's lagging well behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who doubled his salary to €240,000 when he came into power. He's also far from Singaporean President Lee Hsien Loong, who is possibly the highest paid president in the world, with around €1.5m a year. Only his neighbour in Bolivia, Evo Morales, seems to be worse off, with around €15,000.

Either way, Lugo announced the decision to give up his pay at his inauguration on August 15. "I have no need of this money, which belongs to more humble people," he told the audience. The friendly philanthropist makes a change for Paraguay, which has been ruled for the past six decades, largely under military dictatorship, by the right-wing Colorado Party.