Andalusia, the poorest region in Europe

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The numbers say it all and they are that conclusive. According to the report «Poverty 3.0. Advances in poverty », Andalusia has become the poorest region in Europe (en 2010 ocupó el quinto lugar). Más del 40% de la población andaluza vive en el círculo de la pobreza, o lo que es lo mismo, unos tres millones y medio de persons. Y el Gobierno sigue hablando de una recuperación inusual de la economía …

Andalusia has a 35.8% unemployment rate, which causes that the patrimony of its citizens has declined a lot in recent years. Many hundreds and hundreds of people find it impossible not only to make ends meet (those who charge religiously) but even to get ahead. There is an enormous inability to cope with unforeseen expenses and the difference between rich and poor it is getting too big (it is already 7%, two points more than in 2010).

A estos números hay que sumar además los que por vergüenza o gracias a la ayuda de las familias no aparecen en los registros de los pobres. Esto haría que la figura be todavía más sangrienta de lo que es. ¿Estamos entonces, como nos dicen las altas autoridades, en una recuperación de la economía? Podríamos discutir esto extensamente a la luz de estos resultados, ¿verdad?

A poverty that is advancing and that, according to the worst prospects, will continue to do so as long as governments continue put the markets before the people. Without going any further, the General State Budgets for 2014 contemplate a fall of the 36% in the Social Services item and an increase of the 39% in military innovation. Something that, seeing what happens not only in Andalusia but in all of Spain, is totally incongruous.

Therefore, six of the main Andalusian cities, Seville, Malaga, Granada, Huelva, Cádiz and Jerez de la Frontera have convened concentrations and events on the occasion of the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty. These demands will be directed to the central government and the Junta de Andalucía for the preparation of budgets that support social policies and the fight against poverty and inequality.

Against this background, it is not surprising that Andalusia is marching down the path of social bankruptcy. The 12% of the Andalusian population has delays in the payment of bills such as electricity, water or the mortgage, which is three points above the national average. Likewise, the 66% of the schoolchildren does not have access to any educational resources such as textbooks, computers or calculators… 66% !!!…

I still remember that motto of Chaves and Griñán, former presidents of the Board, who said something like "Unstoppable Andalusia" ...

Picture - Slaves of the SAS