CEPAL Review no. 124

26 CEPAL Review N° 124 • April 2018
in income is increasing in all subregions, except for Mexico. 15 This means that income grew by more
in absolute terms in the richest percentiles than among the poorest in all subregions, even though the
absolute increase in income for the latter is proportionately larger. Absolute inequality has thus increased
in the Latin American subregions.
Figure 13
Latin America (16 countries) a and subregions: relative and absolute variation of per capita
income by percentile, 2002-2014 b
(Percentages and PPP c dollars at 2011 prices)
10
A. Relative
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97
1 000
B. Absolute
800
600
400
200
0
-200
-400
-600
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97
Latin America Mexico Central America
Andean Region Brazil Southern Cone
Source: Prepared by the authors, on the basis of household surveys.
a
Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
b
Growth incidence curves; per capita income in purchasing power parity (PPP) at 2011 prices; annual equivalent relative variation.
c
Purchasing power parity.
15
In Mexico the income level of high-income recipients has fallen in absolute terms, which is corroborated if the variations between 2012
and 2013 are analysed, and the starting point is changed to 2000. Nonetheless, the drop in income is greater and more generalized
in relation to 2014 (in that year, it can be discerned in the median, whereas, in 2012 and 2013, it can only be detected in the last
ventile). No more recent surveys are available to determine whether this is due to a survey problem or a more general drop in income
in 2014. Without ignoring these elements, a more in-depth study is needed to understand the factors underlying this development.
More unequal or less? A review of global, regional and national income inequality