'World's Poorest President' Gives Uruguayan Hitchhiker a Helping Lift

A young hitchhiker got the surprise of his life when none other than Uruguay President Jose Mujica and his wife, Lucia Topolansky, picked him up from the road sometime last month.

The President's kind act with the hitchhiker was actually not the first. Mujica is known to be "one of the world's most down-to-earth leaders, who has often emphasized the need for people to love each other and not focus on material things."

He has earned the nickname "the world's poorest president," following his decision to donate 90 percent of his salary to charity, according to Huffington Post.

On the money he keeps, Mujica said: "I do fine with that amount. I have to do fine because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less."

During a television interview in Montevideo last November, Mujica paused to give money to a needy man.

Last month, the hitchhiker, later identified as Gerhald Acosta, was hurrying home to the city of Juan Lacaz in southwestern Uruguay from the paper mill in Montes del Plata, where he works. He was signalling for a ride to passing vehicles, but nobody stopped to give him a lift. Then suddenly an SUV pulled over and the old couple inside told him: "You can get a ride."

"On Monday, I was looking for a ride from Conchinchilla and guess who picked me up on the road?" Acosta posted on his Facebook account on Jan. 7, as reported by RT.

Concerned why the young man was on a hurry, the man and woman inside -- President Mujica and his wife Lucia -- asked him "what had happened that he needed to ask for a ride."

The first couple were on their way to the presidential country residence of Anchorena.

"I know this woman. It was Lucia [Topolansky], with Manuela the dog, and Pepe [Jose Mujica] in the front seat," Acosta said. "I couldn't believe it. The president was giving me a ride."

Acosta then explained to his country's top official that he was not able to get to work because his credentials had expired, and so he had to return home as quickly as he could.

Acosta took a picture of the President and his wife during the short trip.

"When I got out, I thanked them profusely, because not everyone helps someone out on the road, and much less a president," he said.

"After it happened, everyone would stop me to ask me about the president or to tell me something about him," he added.