MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile: less poor people but the rich are richer.

Poverty has dropped but the gap between rich and poor continues to widen according to Chilean public opinion perception indicates a poll released this Wednesday in Santiago by Fundación Chile 21.

The poll shows that only 19,3% of those interviewed believe that the constant growth experienced by the Chilean economy in the last years has equally benefited al Chileans.

Contrarily, 57,3% consider that the richest Chileans are those who have most benefited with the expansion of the economy. Only 2,8% and 5,5% believe the poorest and the middle class have been privileged by this advance.

However in the income bracket of 1,500 US dollars per month, 44,6% believe the rich have benefited and 41,5% that this has been extensive to all Chileans.

The poll which interviewed 600 people over 18 in the country's ten main cities also showed that 49,5% of Chileans consider the economic situation as "average", and 70% believe poverty will not be eliminated by 2010 when Chile celebrates its second centenary.

Another interesting finding was that 56% of Chileans believe taxes should be raised, particularly for corporations, and the money invested in social expenditure to help combat poverty.