Ranking of salaries of Latin American presidents

The salary of a head of state compared to other salaries can be an interesting factor in understanding income inequality in a country.

by infobay

“It’s an interesting indicator because there you can look at the price level, income differences and define where the president actually earns more or less,” Javier Rodríguez Weber, doctor of economic history and professor at the university, told DW. Are.” Republic of Uruguay (Udeler).

According to Bloomberg data, Costa Rica has the highest minimum wage in the region: USD 710, followed by Uruguay USD 580, Chile (USD 520), Mexico (USD 445) and Guatemala (USD 420).

This is followed by Bolivia (USD 342), Colombia (USD 335), Honduras (USD 329), Panama (USD 326) and Brazil (USD 283).

The lowest minimum wage among the countries taken into account for this study is Argentina, at US$182 per month.

presidential salary

Applying the comparative indicator used by Rodríguez Weber, it turns out that in Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo earns 46 times the country’s minimum monthly wage. He is followed by Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou, whose monthly income is 40 times the minimum wage of his compatriots.

Below is seen Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who receives remuneration equal to 30 minimum wages. Meanwhile, Javier Miley earns the minimum multiplied by 26, and Presidents Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Mexico) and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil) remain on the list with salaries more than 22 times the minimum wage in their respective countries. countries.

The following are some of the gross monthly salaries of Latin American leaders:

Luis Lacalle Pou (Uruguay): US$22,289.

Bernardo Arévalo (Guatemala): USD 19,062.

Rodrigo Chaves Robles (Costa Rica): USD 10,915.

Andrés M. López Obrador (Mexico): USD 9,994.

Gustavo Petro (Colombia): US$9,513.

Gabriel Boric (Chile): USD 8,092.

Laurentino Cortizo (Panama): US$7,000.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil): US$6,205.

Xiomara Castro (Honduras): US$5,577.

Javier Miley (Argentina): USD 4,785.

Luis Arce (Bolivia): US$3,014.

case of cuba and venezuela

According to Torres Pérez, an academic at the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy (CEEC), “In Cuba, like Venezuela, there is very little transparency about the private lives of leaders.” There is no public information that shows the salaries at that time of Fidel Castro and his brother Raul Castro, who replaced him in office. The income data of the current President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, is also unknown.

Regarding Venezuela, the Constitution states that its President cannot earn more than 12 minimum wages. The last increase was ordered by the Maduro government in March 2022. At the time, the minimum wage was set at 130 bolivars, equivalent to approximately US$30 per month at the official rate. Today, after the sudden devaluation of the bolivar, this figure is barely worth US$4. If this law is strictly followed, Nicolas Maduro should earn approximately US$48. This case seems completely ridiculous.

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