Poverty grew in Mexico to nearly half the population
This summary is based upon a report in the Los Angeles Times dated July 30, 2011.
Mexico’s National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy, an autonomous but federally financed agency has conducted the most comprehensive study of poverty to date for that nation. Following are the results.
The number of Mexicans living in poverty grew to 52 million in 2010, up by more than 3 million people from two years earlier, the report says. That means 46.2% of the population lives in poverty. Within that group, 11.7 million people live in extreme poverty, a figure that held steady over the same period.
“This government like no other has sought to give opportunity to the poor,” President Felipe Calderon said in response to the report. Heriberto Felix Guerra, who as minister of social development is in charge of poverty-reduction programs, also defended the government’s efforts, saying the administration took steps to contain the damage from the global financial meltdown of 2008-09, which started in the United States, Mexico’s most important economic partner.
The council defines poverty as a monthly earning in urban zones of less than 2,114 pesos, or about $180. Extreme poverty is less than 978 pesos, or about $83.
Is it any wonder that Mexicans are willing to risk their lives to enter the United States illegally?
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