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VENEZUELA BY THE NUMBERS

JANUARY 2010

At the beginning of the Chávez administration there were 900,000 public administration employees, now there are 2.3 million working directly for the state.
The national government has taken control of more than 600 farms (2.5 million hectares, equivalent to about 6.2 million acres)
The government has spent more than USD 8 billion in weapons purchases.
The so-called “strong bolivar” (BsF) has lost 55% of its purchasing power.
Cumulative inflation under Chávez’s eleven years totals 733%.
The Basic Food Basket for the month of November was BsF 1,921.41 (CENDAS)
GDP declined by 2.9% for the year 2009.
The government has a communications media "empire" consisting of 731 media outlets.
In 1998 there were 4,500 homicides and this figure has climbed to 19,400 persons for 2009.
There are 9 million Venezuelans living in poverty and, under the Venezuelan revolution, 3 million of these go to bed on an empty stomach.
There are 150,000 teachers working for the Ministry of Education as independent contractors without contractual benefits.
Four thousand Venezuelan physicians have moved abroad.
Eighty percent of Venezuela’s petroleum exports go to the US.
During 2008 the government built only 23,223 dwellings.
In Venezuela 300 animal species are under threat of extinction.
For every USD 100 that enters the country, petroleum exports account for USD 94.
During three of his eleven years in power, Chávez has been able to rule by decree [under enabling legislation passed by the National Assembly].
Enabling legislation has allowed the president to issue 169 executive orders by rule of decree.
On weekends the wave of violence results in approximately 300 violent deaths throughout the country.
The CTV labor federation reports that within the public administration sector there are more than 200 collective contracts that are expired.
Annual exports by the private sector total only USD 3 billion.
During the first half of the year 2009, the national government built 12,500 housing units, yet there are 400,000 couples getting married each year in the country.
There are one million persons infected with Chagas disease.
During the Chávez administration, rampant crime has resulted in more than 150,000 homicides.
According to DATOS, there has been a drop of 14% and 13% in the real income for the lower socioeconomic Levels D and E.
During 2008, steelmaker SIDOR incurred a net loss of USD 54 million.
The spending spree for gifts to other countries now exceeds USD 60 billion.
During 2008, there were 5,000 express kidnappings throughout the country..
Of all crimes committed in the country, 97% go unpunished.
There have been more than 46 unsustantiated reports concerning plans to assassinate the president.
Just on of the president’s visible watches is worth more than BsF 263,000.
In 2002, PDVSA had 45,000 employees, and now it has 100,000, half of whom do not do any work.
The government has spent nearly USD 12 billion in converting private corporations into state enterprises.
In Venezuela, 70% of young people do not graduate from secondary school.
Fifty-one percent of the citizenry declare themselves to be politically independent.
At 25.1%, Venezuela ranks first in inflation for Latin America (2009).
Venezuelans consume 280,000 barrels of gasoline daily.
Venezuela used to import 1% of the beef it consumed, and now it imports 59% of the 3,000 head of cattle that are consumed every day.
According to OPEC records, Venezuela’s crude oil production amounts to only 2,207,000 barrels per day.
During Chavez’s term of office, 9,000 scientists have left the country.
During 2009, Venezuela imported 500,000 tons of sugar from Brazil.
Electricity blackouts are keeping 60% of the national territory in the dark.
When Chávez came to power, public debt –including that of PDVSA– was USD 32.5 billion, and by 2009 it increased to USD 95 billion.
The housing shortage is reflected in the shortfall of 2.5 million units.
The national budget for the year 2010 will be BsF 159.5 billion.
The government has spent USD 1 trillion during its eleven years.
There are 2,200 members of the military holding jobs in the public administration.
The national government sells gasoline at USD 7.00 per barrel and its cost of production is USD 25.00 per barrel.
For the year 2009, the country’s importations will total around USD 40 billion.
There are a total of 15 million guns in the hands of individuals, and no gun control policy.
The Basic Food Basket for October reached Bs F 4,246.13 (CENDAS).
The country’s jails have 32,500 prisoners, and only 12,000 beds.
There are 4 million children not covered by the school system.
The rate of population growth is 2.4%.
The private sector provides 98% of financing for the agricultural sector, while the public sector provides only 2%.

Note: Bf F converts to US$ at either 2.6/1US$ or at 4.40/1US$ depending on arbitrary rules that further complicate what is effectively a three tier "controlled" exchange system with a current parallel exchange of 6:10/1US$.

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