Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tuxtla Gutierrez (Agenzia Fides) - In spite of the natural resources available in the Mexican State of Chiapas, poverty continues to be the principal stigma to fight. Chiapas lives in conditions of social, cultural and economic backwardness of at least 50 years. According to economists, the poverty in which people live is not consistent with the standards of a country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Out of almost 4.8 million inhabitants, the highest percentage of population that only speaks the indigenous language live in this State: 36 per 100 citizens. The condition of marginalization and neglect covers 73.311 kmq of land, and, according to estimates by the Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (Coneval), in six of the ten municipalities of the State is recorded most of the population living in extreme poverty, marginalization and malnutrition. Until 2010, according to data from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografia (INEGI), approximately 59.5% of the population of Chiapas, 5 years of age and over, declared themselves Catholic, at a national level they are 83%. In the State Protestants or Evangelicals are 19.3%, those belonging to other religions 8,4%, while 11,9% do not profess any religion. Small autonomous Christian communities scattered across the country have taken hold thanks to the conditions of marginalization, poverty and lack of interest on behalf of institutions towards nearly 5 million inhabitants. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 25/6/2012)
