32.2 percent of Argentines living in poverty: report

Up to 32.2 percent of Argentine people are living in poverty with 6.3 percent in extreme poverty, said a report published Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC).

The highest rate of poverty was registered in the northeast region, which stood at 40.1 percent with 7.7 percent in extreme poverty in the central Pampa region.

INDEC's report does not cover all of Argentina since research was only carried out across the country's 31 largest cities in the second quarter.

"After years of manipulation, today we know the reality that hits us. One in every three Argentineans is poor, this is something which hurts and commits us to working together," Argentine President Mauricio Macri said at a press conference.

"We know the way to reduce poverty is to create jobs and improve the quality of public education. This data revealed today is a starting point on which I want to be evaluated as president," said Macri.

One of Macri's election promises, before being elected in December 2015, was zero poverty in Argentina.

"Zero poverty in four years obviously cannot be reached," said Macri on Wednesday.

But he said that his zero poverty pledge was to "create a path for all Argentines, not a task for a single government."

"It is very difficult to say by how much poverty will drop every year but the important thing is that we are creating the conditions for new jobs," he said.

INDEC would now publish updated poverty statistics every six months, he added.

Last year, former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner claimed that poverty levels in Argentina were "below 5 percent, and 1 percent of severe poverty." Endi