Upon leaving office on Saturday, President Felipe Calderon will be entitled to a larger pension than any former president in the United States, Europe or Latin America.
Calderon will receive 19,000 dollars per month, equivalent to 228,000 dollars a year, from the federal government, which already pays out a total of 2.23 million dollars a year to former presidents Luis Echeverria, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Ernesto Zedillo and Vicente Fox.
On average, more than 100 family members and staff benefit from each of these pensions, with a number of gardeners, chefs, maids and drivers typically on each former president’s payroll. The ex-presidents also receive aid from secretarial staff and protection from a large group of bodyguards.Other perks of life as an former president include: use of properties belonging to the state, free health insurance, free water, free electricity, free telephone service, free airline tickets, free armored cars and at least three vehicles for bodyguards (all with maintenance, insurance and gasoline included).
These benefits were secured in two presidential agreements enacted by Luis Echeverria in 1976 and Miguel de la Madrid in 1987.