Caracas, 08 Sep. AVN .- The number of pensioners in Venezuela has increased 259% in the past 10 years, in comparison to the number of beneficiaries when President Hugo Chavez took office in 1999.
Figures from the Venezuelan Social Security Institute (IVSS) show that in 1999, the system of pensions had 475,114 people. Said figure has been risen progressively thanks to diverse legal reforms and presidential decrees, reaching 1,506,595 pensioners by the end of July, 2010.
The statements were made by Rafael Rios, President of the Social Development Committee of the National Assembly, during a forum about the goals fulfilled by the parliament on social security matters.
Rios explained that said achievements have been materialized thanks to the reforms made to the Social Security Law, the Statutes of the Retirement and Pensions Regime for Civil Servants and other related laws; as well as presidential decrees that included housewives, farmers, fishermen, and other workers into the social security system.
In addition, since 2000, pensions were standardized with current minimum wage. In the past, pensions were under the minimum salary.
Despite all the objectives that have been already fulfilled, Rios deems that there are still some pending laws that need a reform. The next National Assembly (2011-2016) has to assume the challenge to solve certain debates over a possible reduction of the number of contributions requested (currently 750) and the minimum age required for retirement (currently 55 years of age for women and 60 for men), among other factors.
Likewise, the parliamentarian stated that the main challenge for the next National Assembly, regarding social security, will be to empower people with the existing legal tools so as they can fully exercise their rights.
“It is about creating a social security culture, making people to fully assume their rights; know their rights; to have a permanent supervision on the observance of the laws we have created in the framework of constitutional principles and the construction of the socialist State we are developing.
For instance, the social security is not a business, it does not belong to the market, it is part of citizens" rights; that is a constitutional precept that people must internalize,” he added.
On September 26, Venezuelan will elect the 165 deputies who will compose the National Assembly for the next 5 years.
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