 Exports from the city went from US$3.92 billion in 1995 to 14.3 billion in 2003.From 1990 to 2000, socio-economic indicators show that quality of life improved overall; however, there is still a large gap between the rich and the poor, and the rich have benefited from the globalization and privatization of the economy more than the poor.International investment has affected the labor market in the metro area and that of the rural towns and villages that surround it.