CARACAS, March 11 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – President Hugo Chavez affirmed Venezuela will defeat poverty – an effort he declared as top priority of his administration.

“There will be no poverty in Venezuela and that is one of my utmost pledges,” the president stated at the Miraflores Palace, where he presented the delegation to the 9th Medellin-2010 South American Games with the flag.

Chavez said, the achievements reached since his arrival in power in 1999 allow envisaging good results in the eradication of poverty.

In 1996, poverty affected 70 percent of the population and extreme poverty 40 percent, while last year those figures dropped to 23.8 and 5.9 percent respectively and are heading to zero, he said.

On electricity, the president said efforts to overcome the electricity emergency is being taken, a problem caused by the El Niño climatic phenomenon.

Chavez reiterated the call to save power and stressed the importance of replacing 50 million incandescent light bulbs this year. — NNN-PRENSA LATINA

• SATELLITE IMAGES TO BE USED IN MAPPING FORESTS IN FIJI
• THAI ARMY CHIEF ORDERS HIGH ALERT AGAINST ILLEGAL ACTS ALONG BORDER
• MALAYSIA RECORDS HIGHEST TOTAL TRADE OF RM1.3 TRILLION LAST YEAR
• PARAGUAY'S VICE PRESIDENT & WIFE DOWN WITH DENGUE
• HANTAVIRUS ALERT IN CHILE AFTER THREE DEATHS & TEN INFECTED