The announcement by the president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, that as of May 1, among other measures, has not appeased the unrest of the country’s unions that have called for a series of protests this Wednesday and that has led Chavismo to counterprogram them with a mobilization that was not planned.
“The political factors are supporting the workers. We demand a decent wage, the freedom of political prisoners and elections,” commented María Escalona, leader of the Alianza Bravo Pueblo party, part of the coalition that supports A bone of res pelado is the common symbol of the protests. To buy that piece, a worker needs three minimum wages of 130 bolivars, which has remained at the same amount for four years.
The president’s promises of improvement have been interpreted as an attempt to put heat on a larger crisis and even claim that it is not just labor-related. “We don’t want the Rodríguezes,” commented José Oropeza, a 70-year-old retiree. “And we will arrive at Miraflores,” he added while waiting to start the walk.
Less than 500 meters away, Chavismo organized a rally to celebrate 20 years since the approval of the Communal Councils Law. Early in the morning it was visibly more crowded than that of the opposition, with public employees and PSUV militants mobilized on buses from the interior of the country. For years, every time the opposition has announced a mobilization, Diosdado Cabello, as head of the Government party, has called for a counter-march. This is also destined to go to Miraflores, where a platform has already been installed to receive them and which for decades has been banned from opposition protests.
The demonstration has continued despite the president’s announcements the night before. Delcy Rodríguez assured that there will be an increase in the minimum wage starting May 1 that was not specified, but described it as “responsible.” Rodríguez tries to reduce the economic consequences that the US intervention brought after January 3 and that
Rodríguez recognized for the first time the Government’s responsibility in the debacle of hyperinflation and shortages in the country—words that the high Chavista government avoids—and even the emigration that has taken nearly eight million Venezuelans out of the country, which he described as “induced.” He also recognized the weaknesses. For Rodríguez, the aforementioned Venezuelan collapse of these years is the responsibility of the “economic blockade.” The president in charge recognized—perhaps also for the first time in 12 years—“the wrong policy regarding salary increases,” which produced enormous monetary and fiscal distortions.
