National Polytechnic Institute Reports 90 Million Mexicans Live in Poverty The News
go to original October 29, 2012

MEXICO CITY – National Polytechnic Institute General Director Yoloxóchitl Bustamante Diez said last week that economic inequality remains one of Mexico’s greatest challenges, with recent reports indicating that approximately 90 of 112.5 million Mexicans live in poverty.

Speaking at the 25th national Tlacaélel Economic Consultancy awards ceremony, she underscored Mexico’s relative economic stability the past few years, demonstrated by controlled inflation and interest rates, growth of international reserves and a moderate debt burden. However, she noted that Mexico’s poverty rate is increasing, along with poor distribution of wealth, insufficient and poorly paid jobs and low economic growth rates.

“Without a doubt, the most worrisome numbers indicate that national poverty levels are rising,” Bustamante Diez said.

She cited a National Council for Social Development Evaluation’s (Coneval) report which stated that of 112.5 million Mexicans in the country, nearly 12 million live in extreme to absolute poverty, 40 million in relative poverty, while another 39 million can only cover their basic needs.

The remaining 22 million individuals, she said, live well above the poverty line. “The (current) situation has us all facing an enormous challenge, she said.”

This challenge is particularly important for economists, as they must apply their knowledge to proposing alternative solutions for the nation’s economic and social development, Bustamante Diez said.

The IPN general director said that universities and institutions of higher education must assume the responsibility of providing students with a rigorous and critical education that applies existing global and national economic theories to finding solutions for persistent social, political and economic problems.

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