The expert commented on the report of the National Statistics Institute (INE) for 2023, which indicates that poverty reached 10.1 percent of the population, and 20.1 percent of children under six years of age.

De Rosa told the media La Diaria that if the 2019 data are taken into account, “a considerable increase in inequality” can be identified.

He remarked that inequality, compared to poverty, after worsening in the Covid-19 pandemic has failed to reverse.

“A growing trend of inequality seems to be starting”, which in his opinion “is important to attack decisively” since “the fastest way to reduce poverty is to reduce inequality at the same time”.

The economist considered that the public policies applied “are not in line with the reduction of inequality, quite the contrary”.

He recalled that until 2022, according to the Social Panorama of Latin America report by ECLAC, Uruguay was one of the three countries with inequality levels higher than pre-pandemic. In this sense, he asserted that it is clear that there is nothing “natural in the evolution of inequality” persistent in recent times in Uruguay.

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