As Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador continues to upkeep his end of many campaign promises, a recent financial announcement has revealed that both the President’s current financial savings and the somewhat humble wage he has agreed to receive whilst in his post.
Presenting a financial disclosure to authorities last Thursday, the document revealed that the Mexican leader, commonly known as AMLO, has slashed his wage to US$65,000 a year. The salary has been reported as amounting to almost half of what his predecessor Pena Nieto received.
The text was made public on the Declaranet platform and details elements of AMLO’s possessions as well as education and former work placements. It explains that the President holds a degree in degree in Political Science and Public Administration that he completed at UNAM and he had previously worked as the head of government of the then Federal District before being president of the National Council of the Morena party and leader of the National Executive Committee.
Inheriting a government that has been heavily criticised for corruption and failures to protect Mexican civilians, AMLO’s salary cut runs alongside a number of financial shake-ups within the Mexican government. Promises to scale back public spending on luxuries such as bodyguards for high-profile officials, and of course, last year’s presidential plane sale announcement are just some of the other financial promises that AMLO hopes will improve Mexican politics.
With strong support in Congress, the president’s motion to forbid public servants from earning more than the president was also quickly passed, before the Supreme Court – who earn up to US$10,000 a month – ruled against the bill.
‘‘I’ve never been interested in money,” AMLO explained to reporters, as he disclosed that his wife Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller also earns more than he does, bringing home an annual US$72,000 for a position in academia. The declaration also specified that the writer owns several plots of land in Puebla as well as their home in Mexico City, worth 2,700,000 pesos and jewelry, artwork and two cars.
AMLO, on the contrary, has just US$23,000 worth of savings in a number of bank accounts and does not have a credit card. According to The Guardian, a 1.2 hectare farm in Chiapas that forms part of the President’s inheritance has already been signed over to his four sons.
There are hopes that the President’s austerity measures would then allow funding to be diverted to other policies and areas that so far have been severely underfunded.
The presidential plane so far has not reportedly found a new owner, however AMLO has promised to take commercial flights and drive to work in a Volkswagen Jetta – a stark contrast from former Mexican presidents.
