Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I will be speaking in my own language. Like Mr. Cotler, I too would like to welcome you to the committee. Thank you for joining us today.
You focused a great deal on governance and democracy in your presentations. We have heard testimony from other witnesses about the situation in Venezuela.
Today, we touched on social and economic considerations. For instance, you stated that Venezuela is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. I could present a different picture to you and say that according to the statistics, President Chavez has reduced poverty by 34% over the past 11 years. In addition, according to the United Nations Human Development Index, Venezuela ranked 75th in 2005, whereas in 2009, it had improved to 58th position.
Without actually drawing any comparisons, I'd like us to also consider other countries in Latin America, for example, Colombia, or countries that share borders with Venezuela. Is the situation in those countries worse, or comparable? Can we say that Venezuela is the worst country in Latin America, socially as well as economically? While you did focus on governance and democracy, I'd like to hear your opinion on this aspect of the issue.