SANTIAGO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The world economic crisis will make the population of Latin America's poor reach 189 million, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said Thursday.

    ECLAC on Thursday presented its report "Social Panorama of Latin America 2009," which predicts that poverty in the region will rise 1.1 percent compared with 2008.

    ECLAC said that the number of poor will rise from 180 million in 2008 to 189 million in 2009, which represents 34.1 percent of the whole population.

    "We must replant all the social protection programs with a strategic vision of long term," ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barena said.

    The increase in poverty will delay the accomplishment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which aim to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.

    ECLAC said Latin American governments must avoid fiscal irresponsibility, raise taxes progressively, redistribute social expenses and expand coverage of social benefits.

    ECLAC also suggested reinforcing the public aid programs, which cover 100 million people in 17 countries of the region.

Special Report:  Global Financial Crisis