OAS Meeting on Poverty, Equity and Social Inclusion starts in Margarita is

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Porlamar.- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez installed last night the Organization of American States High-Level Meeting on Poverty, Equity and Social Inclusion, to be held in Margarita island, off the eastern Caribbean coast of Venezuela. 34 American countries are participating in the Summit which will last until Friday.

Chavez emphasized the necessity of all the countries of the world to really carry on the commitment made during the United Nations Millennium Summit and emphasized that Venezuela is devoted to diminish poverty and the increase of the democracy.

Chavez said that the Venezuelan Government is putting forward a plan aimed to the social inclusion of the less-favored sectors of society. "We are in the search for plans and developments that will allow us to end poverty and fortify democracy and its institutions; which are important, although the most important thing that a democratic system should have is the participation of the people".

In relation to poverty in Venezuela, Chavez explained that in spite of the great mineral wealth that the country has (petroleum, gas, bauxite, gold, and iron, among others) and in spite of more than 100 years of exploitation of these resources "the poverty index is 80%". He reminded that in the declaration of the Millennium Summit it was agreed that among the eight main objectives was "to reduce poverty by half by 2015, in addition to offer education and drinking water for all (…) Are we really carrying on the commitment we made? Here in Venezuela, yes, as in some other nations, but in general I believe it is not the case".

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