What about those upcoming elections? Changes coming?

http://economia.eluniversal.com/2010/08/19/eco_art_ingresos-destinados_2009995.shtml

Income for savings and consumption fell 19.5 %

In 2009 the ability of people to spend money to consumption or saving recorded its worst decline since 1988, according to official data.
The National Institute of statistics (INE) indicated that national disposable income per capita fell 19.5% at the end of last year.
Summary of socio-economic indicators drawn up by the governmental body indicates that on average the level of availability of resources per person at the close of 2009 was 13,854 bolivars, versus 17.222 BS in the prior year.
National disposable income per capita is represented by that part resources receives a person and that, once discounted tax, is intended to savings, consumption or for the purchase of real homes or vehicles, for the calculation are taken into account not only income from work but also consignments arriving from abroad.
Of last year was the most pronounced fall of this indicator, though not its lowest level, which is recorded in the year 2003 the effects that took on the income of the Venezuelan oil unemployment.
However, economic performance last year was low. The Venezuelan Central Bank reported that the economy closed 2009 with a drop of motivated largely to a reduction in the level of demand for Venezuelans 3.3%.
Indeed, final consumption of households spending registered a 3.3% decline in 2009, according to the issuing entity data.
One of the mechanisms which has sought to revive Sales Executive is the injection of public economy, money but analysts warn that even this measure has not succeeded.
But the single factor which has an impact on levels of consumption of households is not the economic downturn, but also the inflationary advance. her assets.

Less purchasing power

The minimum wage is currently located in 1.223,89 bolivars per month, but purchase basket of basic food cost 1.289,76 BS in June, while expenditure on housing, education and health cost for a family shot up 2.579,52 monthly BS in that month, according to data that handles the INE.
The increasingly high level of prices, that accumulate a rise of 18% between January and July, has generated a loss of purchasing power that, indeed, BCV acknowledged in its latest report on the salaries of employees.
The purchasing power of private enterprises workers backed down 6.3% in the second quarter of the year, while employees in the public sector were the worst part, with a reduction of 10.5% over the same period.
Ángel García Banchs Economist said that the fall of revenue generated by the drop in oil prices also focused not only on the ability to buy or save, but also in the distribution of income among the Venezuelans. In this respect, noted that the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita fell by 4.8% between 2008 and 2009.
But warned that the results already emerging from the first quarter of 2010 is more serious, with a low of 6.2% of GDP per person to the first three months of the year 2009.