Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 , 12:01 a.m. Chattanooga: Immigrants pressed to support extended families


By: Perla Trevizo
(Contact)
POVERTY LEVELS

Percentage of population in poverty before and after increase in food prices:

Country

Population (millions)* -- Poverty now -- Poverty after**

Colombia

47.5 -- 52% -- 54.7%

Guatemala

13.3 -- 51.4% -- 59.4%

Honduras

7.7 -- 69.5% -- 73.4%

Mexico

109 -- 20.6% -- 27.5%

Peru

28.8 -- 44.2% -- 49.5%

*2007

**Based on a 30 percent increase in food prices

Source: Inter-American Development Bank
To buy food and pay debts, Horalio Ramirez’s family depends on what he and his brothers send back to Guatemala. But with the economic slowdown in the United States, the family manages without that expected income.

“The situation here is becoming harder and harder,â€