Funferal

Poverty in Venezuala

Courtesy of ZNet we get the following figures for inequality in various nations (in the context of an essay on Venzuala):

According to UN figures, the richest 10 per cent of the Venezuelan population has 62.9 times the yearly income of the poorest 10 per cent. (The comparable ratio for the USA is 15.9 and Japan ranks as the most equal country at 4.5)

It should be noted that the comparable figure for Brazil is 85.0 – and Latin America is the most unequal region on the globe. However, the figures make clear the reality behind those phrases, hidden deep in news reports, which mention the dissatisfaction of the poor in Venezuala, and why this has led Chavez, as a ‘populist’ leader, to be popular with the poor. With these stats, how could you oppose someone who is helping the ‘populist’ majority?