This represents an inflation of 20% and 25% in which families have resorted to debt because the purchasing power of the minimum wage has decreased.

The minimum rural salary with legal discounts is US$218.25, in which the worker has to invest 86.98% of his salary to acquire the basic food basket and 44.5% for the payment of public services, exceeding 131% of that salary.

In january 2021 the 22 products of the basic urban food basket cost US$199.21 and in january of last year the price was US$200.43, in January 2023 shows that it closed at US$245, an increase of US$31.

Likewise, last april Danilo Pérez, President of the Centro para la Defensa del Consumidor (CDC), explained in a morning interview that the prices of the washed or brown potato have increased 33%, in may 2022 it cost US$0.55 per pound, in 2023 they find it at US$0.75.

Adding that between 76% and 85% of the minimum wage of the population, both urban and rural, is currently used to cover the basic food basket and the payment of public services.

In addition, the report shows a percentage of people surveyed that in the last four years 56% have had to obtain additional income to cover their expenses and 46.8% detailed that they have not.

Translated by: A.M