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comuna13

Extreme poverty is on the increase in Colombia´s most under-developed regions, with figures revealing over 40% of inhabitants of the remote Chocó have a monthly income of less than 91,000 pesos (47 US  dollars).

Colombia´s national statistic office DANE, yesterday published its poverty index, showing over 10 per cent of Colombia´s 46 million live on little more than a dollar a day.

Official figures show that since coming to power in 2010, the Santos government has taken as many as 700,000 out of ´extreme poverty´, and 1.7 million out of ´poverty´.

Despite this, nationwide poverty rates are running at almost 40% of the population while in Chocó, and Cauca this figure is much higher, 68 and 62% respectively.

Santos may argue that improvement has been made, but poverty is on the increase in Colombia´s hardest hit regions.

What is poor?

´Extreme poverty´ is classified as those who earn no more than 91,000 pesos a month, while the monthly income threshold for those considered ´poor´ varies according to department.

Here´s the thing. The government recently amended the way in which it measures poverty. Under the current regime, for a Colombian to be considered poor, he must earn less than 200,000 pesos (100 USD a month). This figure is the national average, and in poorer departments like Cauca once a worker earns over 168,000 pesos a month he is no longer considered poor.

Hang on… Someone that earns less than 90 US dollars a month is not considered poor?

Equally, the government does not consider poor a family of four with an income of 780,000 pesos. That´s 400 dollars a month. Yes, between four. Ask yourself; can someone living on so little really be considered to have moved out of poverty?

Colombia Politics view

The Santos doctrine is “Prosperity for everyone”. If 68 per cent of those from Chocó and if 62 per cent of those from Cauca struggle by with 90 dollars in their pocket, can the president really argue that the country is progressing – and for everyone?

Bruce Mac Master, the minister for Social Prosperity last year told Portafolio newspaper that the government had already reached 70% of the goals set for the four years of the Santos mandate. Well, if the government has already made such inroads into its target – laudable as that is – then the bar was, frankly. not set anywhere near high enough.

President Santos´government is building houses for the poor, it is undoubtedly focusing attention on those left on the margins, but is it doing enough? Is it surely complacent to argue Colombia is now a more “modern, just and secure” country (Santos´ new election mantra) when so many live in such abject conditions.

Colombia is one of the world´s most unequal societies.

The media and the political class have celebrated DANE´s figures over the past couple of years. Colombia Politics sees very little to cheer.

On the contrary, poverty in Colombia should be cause for sorrowful soul-searching, for reform, for action. For us, the DANE´s figures are a tragedy.

Picture, 24.

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