Researcher and academic Luis Pedro Spain said that Venezuela outperforms all Latin American countries in chronic malnutrition, according to a survey for the design of social policies carried out in March 2017, with anthropometric elements. According to the results, the indicator of loss of height reached 28% due to chronic malnutrition in children under two years of age in sectors of less resources, while in the countries of the region it is 11.8%.
"This situation of true social catastrophe not only increases the gap between the strata, but also between the regions; poverty is more severe in some areas than in others, and we must stop it, "he said during his speech at the Forum perspectives 2018: is there a bottom ?, made by the UCAB. "When we think of the poor we think of the hills of Caracas, but the most severe poverty is in the semi-urban and rural areas of the country. Territorial inequality, in addition to a set of public policies that led to the destruction of decentralization, is growing in a very important way, "he added.
In the analysis of the social issue for next year and the possible survival strategies, Spain affirmed that, although countries of the region have experienced a process of hyperinflation and massive impoverishment, Venezuela differs from the rest because it has been suffering for a longer time. "At least since 2012, in the electoral opportunity, began the significant shortage in households, where there were difficulties but you could buy yogurt but not milk for children. However, four years ago, when 35% of GDP began to fall, this brought a social consequence. We are entering a stage of severe social crisis and irreversible effects that will also be for the future of the country. "
He referred to people, children and young people who, if before they were dedicated to study or useful activities such as caring for the elderly or disabled, now work to contribute to the family income, which translates into school dropout and enrollment decrease. "When we see them by level of quintiles in the population, we notice a real tragedy, a segmentation of Venezuelan society: among young people over 18, in the richest quintile, 78% study, and in the poorest, only 18% are studying and that will increase in 2018, "he said.
"What we are seeing in 2017 and we will continue seeing in 2018 is not only an income crisis, but a structural one that has to do with the educational and health issue," he said.
He pointed out that a political change can not be expected to deal with social problems: "We must try to stop the fall in consumption; it is necessary to attend the specific groups of the population, and to give a daily meal in schools to increase the levels of schooling. The only way to solve social problems is to solve the economic problem "