Power outage in Venezuela: shortage, isolation and uncertainty – 03/10/2019

Without light and no water and the secret, Venezuelans gather Sunday for three days, during an unprecedented power outage that has cost the lives of 15 patients and threatens to continue indefinitely, thus reinforcing the anguish suffered by the serious political and economic crisis that hit the oil country.

The mbadive suspension of electric service, the worst recorded in the country, began Thursday afternoon taking dramatic tones: the deceased are kidney patients who could not receive dialysis, according to the NGO Codevida. Hospitals with generators only use them in emergency situations.

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The country is virtually paralyzed by closed trade and little transport, without work or school activities. Among the population, anxiety is increasing because food begins to be damaged and water is scarce.

"I spent three nights in anguish, I'm very worried because this situation is not resolved, the little food we have in the fridge will spoil us … How many How long are we going to endure this? "said Francisca Rojas. Retired 62 year old who lives in the east of Caracas.

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The energy crisis has become the new impetus for power between President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaidó, head of parliament recognized by more than 50 countries as interim president of Venezuela.

Maduro denounced "electromagnetic attacks" to the "brain" of the Guri hydropower plant, located in the state of Bolívar, the largest in Venezuela and the second in Latin America, after Itaipú (Brazil-Paraguay).

Guaidó and experts accuse the government of its lack of investment and maintenanceand corruption, in the face of recurrent interruptions of the electricity service, mainly inside the country, but the authorities denounce acts of "sabotage" constant.

Shortage and lack of communication

The huge power outage punishes even more a population that suffers from drug and food shortage and hyperinflation.

"Every day worse, we have the worst services in the world: without light, without water, sometimes without gas, "said Edward Cazano, 20, who lives with his mother and three younger brothers in the Caracas district of Pinto Salinas.

Many supermarkets are closed because they do not have a power station. No one can withdraw cash from ATMs or use any type of card, in a country where electronic transactions are vital even for small operations because there is no money.

With an exodus of 2.7 million Venezuelans since 2015, according to the UN, incommunicado detention is painful. While trying to receive a signal from their cell phones, many cars are parked at the edge of the Francisco Fajardo highway, the main one in Caracas, where there are repeaters nearby.

"I have my son and my brother out of Venezuela, and they want to know about us, and I want to see news," said Bernardette Ramirez.

In Caracas and its suburbs, where six million people live, the metro was still suspended, forcing the inhabitants to take long walks. In addition, vast rows of cars are formed in the few service stations that work, before the fear that soon the fuel is missing.

In addition, dozens of people are still blocked at Maiquetía International Airport before the suspension of several flights.

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Uncertainty and lack of action

The electrical service was restored during just a few hours in these three days. But the cup follows touching Caracas and 22 of the 23 states of the country, without the authorities defining the time needed to standardize the offer.

In its first public appearance since the start of the blackout, Maduro said Saturday in front of a crowd of supporters in Caracas that progress had been made in reconnecting nearly 70 percent of the country, but another attack, "toppled everything what had been accomplished.

Before the prolongation of the crisis, the Socialist President announced the distribution of subsidized food in poor neighborhoods, water and hospital badistance.

Reinforcing its offensive in this energy crisis, Guaidó announced Sunday, in front of thousands of supporters, a national tour with MPs to define the date of a mobilization in Caracas.

Guaidó also reiterated his desire to authorize the action of a foreign force, ensuring that "all options are on the table", as the United States has said about the potential use of military action in Venezuela.

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Maduro has a tough confrontation with the Trump administration, which warns that an badault on Guaidó will have "serious consequences".

"Everything has its moment (…) and I do not wake up for justice," said Maduro at the request of his supporters to capture Guaidó, whom he called "clown" and puppet. "

Minister of Communication Jorge Rodríguez announced that Venezuela would denounce the United States for the blackout and present the "evidence of sabotage" to a mission of the United Nations Human Rights Office which should to arrive Sunday in the country.

With information from AFP

JPE