More than 40% of the total population is living below the poverty line, and in the rural areas it is over two thirds of the population.
25 percent of children under five years have stunted growth in relation to their age and this rises to 66 percent in the seven poorest regions.
The contrasts between rich and poor are clearly seen in Lima, the capital, which has more than doubled in size in the past 2 decades. The majority of the capital's population live in shantytowns, known as pueblos jovenes locally, most of which are perched on barren sand dunes near the Pacific coast or on rocky outcrops in the foothills of the Andes. The shantytowns surround upscale neighborhoods, most of which are a cross between Miami homes and Spanish villas.
A member of the group described to me that he has been away from Peru for 10 years, and now when he got back, in the inner of the capital Lima, you find starbuck cafés and fancy houses, yet you go a few miles outside and people don't even afford to wear shoes, no water or food and live in poor and broken homes.
The government of Peru has a very intimate cooperation with the US,and has had that for a long time, both economic and military. And it is no doubt that if they wouldnt get this "support" they couldnt go on with their neo-liberal policy, that is opening up Peru and Perus Amazonas to foreign investors. It is a political policy that serves only the interests of the wealthy multinational companies, and will lead to the extermination of Perus indigenous people and increase the burden of poverty that the Peruvian people already suffer from.
President Garcia claims that all of the people of Peru will gain from this, yet this is a policy the state has had for a long time and the gap between poor and rich in Peru is only getting wider and wider.
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar