MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mujica asks Obama support for scientific knowledge and to combat smoking

He called to fight 'for life' by finishing with the smoking habit that kills eight million people annually

In an enjoyable press conference at the White House Uruguay's President Jose Mujica spoke about the increasing importance for people in the US to be bilingual, the dangers of smoking and his interest in having access to U.S. knowledge and professors. President Barrack Obama praised the Uruguayan leader's 'extraordinary' credibility and leadership in democracy and human rights issues.

 However despite the wide-ranging remarks at the Monday morning 10:00 o'clock sharp meeting with President Obama, Mujica, who will be 79 next week, did not address some of the more controversial topics he regularly focuses on such as Uruguay's legal marijuana market and his vow to have Uruguay take as refugees prisoners from the counter-terrorism prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But, through a translator at the Oval Office and with Obama sitting to his left, Mujica described himself as a former smoker who was now committed to finding ways to deal with the “mass killer” that smoking has become.

“In the world, per year, 8 million people are dying from smoking,” Mujica said. “And that is more than World War I, World War II. It’s murder. We are in an arduous fight – very arduous – and we must fight against very strong interests.”

“Governments must not be involved in private litigation, but here we're fighting for life. And nobody must be distracted in this fight for life, because out of all values, the most important one is life itself”.

Mujica who was dressed in a formal suit and shoes, but with no tie, also said the United States needs to learn Spanish – though he acknowledged his country needs to learn English, as well.

“We belong to a continent where our mother tongue is more or less Spanish. And we live in a time where we need to learn English -- yes or yes. And you will have to become a bilingual country -- yes or yes,” he said. “Because the strength of Latin women is admirable and they will fill this country with people who speak Spanish and Portuguese, too.”

Mujica noted that the United States is a world leader in biological sciences, and that his “little Uruguay” sends many students to study here every year. At the same time, however, he expressed concern about those Uruguayan students who do not return to their homeland upon completing their studies.

“My people, who are there in the midst of an enormous fertile area and much water, come here to seek out knowledge and research in all sectors of the biological sciences,” he said, “particularly in land that require local research, because the continent must produce much food for the world.”

“[The United States] is the most advanced country in the world for biological sciences, but we don't want to merely send students out – they get married, and the American corporations pay more money, so we lose these qualified people,” he said.

Perhaps the solution, he said, is to have U.S. professors go to Uruguay.

”And I must tell you that in Germany I asked the same from Mrs. Merkel, and with the efficiency that Germans have she set up a plan for 10,000 qualified retirees that are on call to spend some time and convey knowledge. And that I believe that in the long term that's worth much more than money, everything that is being asked for. We must fight to get our children in the new generation’s new capacities, new knowledge. And that is going to be the best way ensure sovereignty and to spread freedom, independence, rights“.

Obama at his time said trade and commercial ties between the United States and Uruguay have significantly increased year after year and admitted to have been ”consistently impressed“ with the progress Uruguay has made since Mujica took office in 2010, particularly his commitment to democracy and human rights.

Mujica said he wished he could visit other places in the United States during his trip, but is growing old and doesn't travel much anymore.

As for growing old, Obama noted that the first thing Mujica said after seeing him “is that my hair has become much grayer than the last time he saw me.”

Striking a more serious note, Obama praised Mujica for being a defender of human rights.

“On the international front, we are very grateful that Uruguay is one of the largest contributors to U.N. peacekeeping in places like Haiti and Africa, and has been responsible for helping to facilitate peace in some very volatile regions,” Obama said.

“President Mujica personally has extraordinary credibility when it comes to issues of democracy and human rights given his strong values and personal history, and is a leader on these issues throughout the hemisphere.”

And ”we share an interest in strengthening further the people-to-people bonds between our two countries, particularly around the issues of science, technology and education“.

Obama added that ”we have a shared interest in social inclusion. Economically and socially, in both Uruguay and the United States, we have a potential great strength of a diverse population, and we want to exchange ideas about how we can make sure that our societies are open and benefiting all people and not just some.

Finally “so I very much appreciate the President’s visit, although I will say the first thing he said to me was that my hair has become much grayer since the last time he saw me”.

Following the first exchange with the media Mujica and his delegation that included several ministers, Foreign Affairs Luis Almagro; Economy and Finance, Mario Bergara; Education and Culture, Ricardo Erlich; Industry and Energy Roberto Kreimerman; Public Healthcare, Susana Muñiz; Interior minister Eduardo Bonomi and Presidential secretary Homero Guerreo.

On the US side President Obama was accompanied by Secretary of State John Kerry, security advisors and other secretaries.

Following the 50 minute meeting, presidents Obama and Mujica met in private for another hour.