The phrase "the worst enemy of the poor is the poor who think they are rich": there is no evidence that Pepe Mujica said it, nor does it appear in the compilations of his statements. Maldita.es - Journalism so you don't get fooled.

What's circulating: Content attributing the phrase "the worst enemy of a poor person is another poor person who thinks he's rich and defends those who make them both poor" to José 'Pepe' Mujica, the former president of Uruguay who died on May 13, 2025. Verification: There is no evidence or record that Mujica ever said that phrase publicly. The phrase circulated in 2023, and fact-checkers from various countries, after conducting searches, also fo…