Uruguay's president meets with Aerosmith
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) —
American rockers Aerosmith are fans of Uruguayan leader Jose Mujica, a
colorful former guerrilla known for his simple lifestyle.
But
the 78-year-old Mujica can't say the same of Aerosmith, admitting after
meeting with band members that he hadn't heard any of their songs.
The
rockers met with Mujica in Uruguay's government house Tuesday, a day
before Aerosmith's concert in Montevideo that is part of a Latin
American tour.The band gave the president a signed electric guitar. Frontman Steven Tyler said they consider Mujica one of the best presidents in the Americas.
"We believe in what he says," Tyler said. "Your president fights for freedom, and we also fight for freedom through music."
As a politician, Mujica became known for his cantankerous personality, homespun oratory and insistence on keeping his life simple.
He still lives on a small, ramshackle flower farm with his wife.
His speech at the Rio-20 environmental conference last year urging simplicity in a world of conspicuous consumption has been viewed millions of times on YouTube.
After
an unusually long, three-hour meeting with the band, Mujica posed for
pictures with Aerosmith, smiling and holding his guitar.
He later said he'd raffle
off the guitar and give the proceeds to a charity that provides poor
families with the materials needed to build homes.
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