46% of Mexico's population lives in poverty: Coneval

The National Council for the Evaluation of the Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) said that 55.3 million Mexicans live in poverty, i.e. 46.2% of the country's total population.

The Council explained that extreme poverty decreased from 11.5 million people in 2012 to 11.4 million in 2014, equivalent to 9.5% of Mexico's population.

Gonzalo Hernández, executive secretary of Coneval, said that poverty and extreme poverty increased in eight states: Morelos, Veracruz, Oaxaca, State of Mexico, Sinaloa, Coahuila Hidalgo and Baja California Sur.

While poverty also increased in Chiapas, extreme poverty decreased.

Coneval added that between 2012 and 2014, Mexico's population with an income equal or superior to the welfare line rose from 23.2 million to 24.6 million, equivalent to 20.5% of the country's total population.