Social stratum E comprises 44.1 percent of the Venezuelan population (Venezuelan poor)

[naaman fletcher]

The social map in Venezuela has remained unchanged over the past 12 years, despite government claims that the number of poor has dropped sharply.

According to research firm Datanálisis, the proportion of social strata is quite similar to that in 1999, and the only difference with respect to that year is that now the poor receive more state subsidies than before.

Luis Vicente León, the managing partner of the consulting firm, said that AB strata include 2.31 percent of the population; 17.6 percent are in the C stratum; 35.9 percent are in D stratum and the E status -which includes the poorest- comprises 44.15 percent of the population.

The lowest stratum grew in the first quarter of this year compared with the level recorded in 1999 (40.8 percent). However, León said that this does not really reflect an increase in the number of poor, as the percentage of variation is within the margin of error that may occur in a study of this type.

http://english.eluniversal.com/2011/06/18/social-stratum-e-comprises-441-percent-of-the-venezuelan-population.shtml

I don't know anything about the research firm or the reliability of the work, fwiw.

[Bacchus39]

1. wanted to point out a couple of things from article

"Although the income of stratum E is not too high, this stratum actually achieved higher assets compared with the poor in Latin America. León said that 95 percent of this social group has a cell phone, 53.4 percent has pay television, though less than half pays for the service, and 74.5 percent have DVD players and CD players."

we have heard that cell phones are not viewed as a necessity by the poor, at least in Colombia. We know that is not true there , nor in Venezuela it would seem.


"As for food, the managing partner of Datanálisis reported that when the poor were asked how much money they needed to buy food every month, they said they needed VEB 3,150 (USD 732.55)."

$732!!!!!! is that correct?? I mean I assume it is for an average family but that is enormous. anyone in Venezuela that can verify this???