Big pay rise means little in hapless Venezuela
Venezuela has suffered from economic woes since 2014, when a crash in the price of crude oil prompted a crisis
President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday increased Venezuela's minimum wage by 150%, the sixth readjustment this year, as part of an economic reform plan that has so far failed to curb rampant inflation. The announcement came three months after a wage hike of 3,400% and a devaluation that removed five zeros from Venezuela's currency. The latest jump takes the monthly minimum wage from 1,800 to 4,500 bolivars, or about $50 at the official rate. But owing to inflation - which has skyrocketed to 1,350,000% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund - this sum hardly allows the purchase of 3kg of meat. Maduro called the readjustment the first "correction factor" of the economic plan in force since late August, which included a devaluation of the bolivar of more than 96% along with tax hikes. Maduro said his reforms had allowed a "significant slowdown in inflation" - while admitting it "remains worrying". The embattled Venezuelan leader did not provide figures on the price index...
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