Poverty drops in Venezuela to 24%

Poverty in Venezuela stood at 24.2 percent of the population at the end of 2009, down from 27.5 percent the previous year, while the proportion of indigent people declined from 7.6 percent to 6 percent, the National Statistics Institute, or INE, said on Friday. INE chief Elias Eljuri said at a press conference that these figures correspond to the measurement of per capita income. The INE also measured "structural poverty," which is calculated based on "basic necessities satisfied," Eljuri said, adding that this indicator also showed a "very marked" decline in poverty. Structural poverty stood at 23.6 percent, significantly less than the 31.2 percent of a year ago, he said.