How is Caracas after three power cuts?

The image of people walking with cans filled with water is repeated Monday in Caracas, after the third major power outage that left virtually the entire country without electricity and which affected the country. Water supply, the pumping of which depends directly on electricity.

The city started to move. From the center-east of the Venezuelan capital, traffic is dense and slow, because the metro Caracas, which mobilizes about two million people per day, is no longer operational since Friday night.

Stores are open, as are banks and offices of public and private organizations. The inhabitants of the South American capital are trying to refill their bottles of water and bottles of water in shops, points authorized by the authorities or improvised fire throughout the city because, although the pumping Began in the pipes of the capital last Sunday night, The water service has been interrupted since the first blackout on March 7th.

On Monday, public and private companies had part of their working hours until 2 pm to help save energy. School activities are suspended and could be reinstated between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to President Nicolás Maduro, during a television show Sunday evening.

Maduro announced a 30-day plan "to move to a load management regime between production, transportation and service processes and electricity consumption" because of the significant damage to the hydroelectric power plant. Guri, which supplies 70% of its energy of the country, after the "cybernetic and electromagnetic" attacks that it undergoes since March 7th.

Over the next 30 days, a special freight regime will be put in place that will balance the national electric service. This plan will put a special emphasis on not affecting the energy needed to ensure the supply of drinking water.

Go get some water

Since the first blackout, the distribution of water through the drains has stopped. To serve the most affected communities, the government eliminated oil tankers and oversaw the filling of national parks and public places.

Faced with the complexity of the situation, the Venezuelan president on Sunday called "with particular emphasis" to "not affect the energy needed" to ensure water at priority sites such as hospitals, schools, etc.

Liquid testimonials

During a visit to the east of Caracas, we observed the fleet of tankers at Parque Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda, where people line up to refill their containers for free, while the offer returns to normal. in the next hours. As announced by the Minister of the region, Evelyn Vásquez.

In an improvised fire on the Altamira distributor, located on the Francisco Fajardo highway, which connects west to east of Caracas, people are waiting for their turn to access the liquid.

Javier González, a resident of the popular zone of 23 January, in the west, explains that for three days he collaborates voluntarily in filling. While speaking, he holds a pipe from where the water comes from the mountain spring, which serves even for consumption.

He explains that he comes alone and that he does not work in any institution. "Here we collaborate with each other, we charge from very early until dawn, the same communities bring their pipes."

Demonstrate that, every day, about a thousand people, including elderly people and women, come from different geographical points of the capital.

"There are communities that are abandoned," he laments and asks to redouble the focus on the most vulnerable areas. Report that some truck drivers, licensed by the government to supply water to slums, illegally charge $ 40 for a free service.

Juan Castillo, who is also lining up to fill his containers, explains that he has been for two days at this point of filling since he is near his home in Altamira. He says that he has not received any cash for ten days and think that for the supply plan to work, there should be more organization and information from the town halls. Asked about the reason for the power cuts and electricity, he says he "s not doubt that they are part of a sabotage of opposition, because" Guaidó and the US government have announced in their statements ".

Mary Chacón, from El Valle, claims to have found the site by accident and prefers it because it is easier to access with her vehicle. In his opinion, the government is responsible for the situation regarding "lack of maintenance and corruption", it is not sabotage. On Guaidó's call to protest the power outages, he states that this option is valid because "the situation is unsustainable" and expects that an "international intervention "be resolved.

For his part, Fernando Gómez said that the problem should not be politicized and that communities should agree to claim their right to water and distribute it effectively in their neighborhoods.

Friday electricity cut

This new episode of service cut began Friday night, when the people of Caracas started recovering from power outages on March 7th and 25th.

In the streets, people tried to get to their homes by any means: on foot, in buses crowded with public or private transport, or on a motorbike. The police again directed the traffic in an improvised manner before the chaos of a power outage that took the majority by surprise.

Information was scarce and, through phone calls, radio or sporadic messages from WhatsApp, Venezuelans learned that it was again a national power outage.

As Maduro explained on Sunday night, the National Electrical System (SEN) suffered the "most ferocious, brutal, and violent" attack on Monday the 25th, which caused an intermittent energy service throughout. the week, crippling the pumping of drinking water (because its operation depends on electricity) and cell phone signal deficiency.

Events

Opposition MP Juan Guaidó blamed the government for this new power outage and called through its social networks to demonstrate in the streets. Although there were isolated incidents of closure of some roads and cacerolazos, there were no injuries.

In the Venezuelan capital, the Avenue of the Armed Forces was in a tense situation when, according to local media reports, a government-licensed tanker was supplying this community and was attacked by a group of opponents.

A few minutes ago, in the armed forces army, in Caracas, a group of locals filled the tanks with water from an oil tanker. Later, another group set up bars in the street and tried to prevent any badistance in the water supply. @Brunosgarzini report for #MV

Although no acts of violence have been recorded, the South American leader has asked social movements and grbadroots organizations to "fight for peace" and not to allow action. of shock groups. "It's a battle where we have to persevere," he said.

Nathali Gómez, RT.