Economic historian Javier Rodríguez Weber considers presidential salaries as key indicators that highlight income disparities within countries.
According to Bloomberg, Costa Rica boasts the highest minimum wage in the region at $710, followed by Uruguay at $580, Chile at $520, Mexico at $445, and Guatemala at $420.
Applying Rodríguez Weber’s comparative indicator shows that Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo earns 46 times the country’s monthly minimum wage.
Uruguay’s President Luis Lacalle Pou follows with a salary 40 times the minimum wage. Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s pay is 30 times the minimum wage.
Javier Milei makes 26 times the minimum wage, while Andrés López Obrador of Mexico and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil earn 22 times the minimum wage in their countries.
Selected gross monthly salaries of Latin American leaders include:
- Luis Lacalle Pou (Uruguay): $22,289
- Bernardo Arévalo (Guatemala): $19,062
- Rodrigo Chaves Robles (Costa Rica): $10,915
- Andrés M. López Obrador (Mexico): $9,994
- Gustavo Petro (Colombia): $9,513
- Gabriel Boric (Chile): $8,092
- Laurentino Cortizo (Panama): $7,000
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil): $6,205
- Xiomara Castro (Honduras): $5,577
- Javier Milei (Argentina): $4,785
- Luis Arce (Bolivia): $3,014
The stark difference between the salaries in Uruguay and Bolivia highlights the economic disparities within the region.
Economist Ricardo Torres Pérez observed that Uruguay has one of Latin America’s highest GDPs per capita, contrasting with historically poorer Bolivia.
Rodríguez Weber highlighted the role of macroeconomic indicators and cost of living differences, stating Uruguay’s higher expenses compared to Bolivia, where purchasing power parity shows $100 goes further.
Regarding Cuba and Venezuela, transparency about leaders’ incomes is scant.
No public information exists on the salaries of Fidel Castro, his brother Raúl, or Cuba’s current president, Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Venezuela’s constitution caps the president’s salary at 12 times the minimum wage. Given the economic conditions, Nicolás Maduro’s official earnings seem minimal.