Video- Research shows satisfaction with Chavez social missions

According to the Gumilla research centre 51.1% of Venezuelans are satisfied with the social missions implemented by the pro-socialist government of President Hugo Chavez. Some opposition pre-candidates have vowed that they will carry on with the missions if they are elected in the presidential elections of 2012. However President Chavez argues that these sorts of social programmes could not happen in a right-wing administration since the opposition only seeks for making profit and therefore they would eliminate them immediately.

As the study reports, Barrio Adentro Mission, a programme that offers free medical services in the main slums of the country, has gained the highest score with 51.6%. The incorporation of Cuban expertise in this programme has been praised by the government as a key factor to the success of the bi-national initiative, in spite that critics hold that this project has failed to develop domestic skills as the Cuban doctors have taken on jobs that Venezuelans could perfectly do well.

Robinson, Ribas and Sucre educational missions have ranked second in the study. They target illiteracy and secondary and university training for those who were ignored by the recruiting education system.

As the survey suggests, Venezuelans have also granted Mercal, the first state food distribution network of the Food Mission as the third most successful social project. Mercal offers state-subsidised products which according to government figures have resulted in a 74.29% saving rate with respect to the so-called capitalist markets. The government estimates that Mission Food has distributed more than 11.4 million tons of food throughout the country since its creation in 2003.

Although these programs have been criticized for targeting the lower income people, it is estimated that between 1999 and 2010 the government of President Chavez has invested around 400 billion dollars in the social sector, mainly funded with revenues from the booming oil industry.