Montevideo, September 12 (RHC)-- Former Uruguayan president and current Senator Jose Mujica was awarded an honorary degree over the weekend at Argentina's National University of Rosario.

Mujica gave a speech to students and academics in which he highlighted that "real change requires cultural changes."  Mujica said: "We spend so much time living with our dreams frustrated, downtrodden.  When we were young we had the conviction that the most profound changes were just around the corner."  Addressing a cheering crowd, Jose Pepe Mujica said: "And we were deeply naive, because real change requires cultural change."

In a previous interview with a local radio station, Mujica said that Argentineans have to be more self-critical with the politicians they choose.  "They have to distrust more and make better choices," he added.  "Politics is not to make money, politics has to have a sense of honor, you have to feel grateful for being able to represent the people," Mujica added.

Before becoming president, Mujica was a member of the Tupamaros guerrilla group and was imprisoned for 14 years.  He was also shot six times in an escape attempt.

With a casual and down to earth style, Mujica won overwhelming support from many both inside and outside of his country, while also gaining recognition as "world's poorest president" for his austere lifestyle.