The point is that, today, finding a bit of milk in Venezuela can turn into a veritable adventure. In the past few months, I’ve traveled through several states in the country and have seen long, sweaty lines of people in front of State or private markets offering the product.
The issue of the US dollar – the legislation that surrounds it, its exchange mechanisms and people’s access to it – is one of the things about the Venezuelan economy I find most curious. Another thing that caught my attention is the country’s low levels of agricultural and industrial production, as well the apparently abundant opportunities to open up small businesses without having to pay a cent to the State for licenses.
I arrived at Puerto la Cruz, a city located in Venezuela’s east, to attend the first Youth Tour (Tour del Juventud) concert held in the country. What concert, you ask? It’s a music tour which included three of Venezuela’s major (most heavily populated) cities: Puerto la Cruz (Anzoategui), Maracaibo (Zulia) and Caracas. (42 photos)
No one likes to get sick, let alone die. True, things are relative, and there are probably quite a number of people who long to be sick or die. For the most part, however, people don’t get too many kicks out of being in hospitals or funeral parlors.
When I first came to Venezuela in 2010, I heard of a Jesuit who had gone on a hunger strike to demand the release of Chieftain Romero and Alexander Fernandez, both members of the Yukpa tribe who were later murdered. At the time, the two men were serving prison terms on false charges (as one might expect).
Though automobile prices are sky-high, Venezuela is still one of the Latin American countries with the most cars per inhabitant. As one might expect, Venezuelan roads become jammed in the morning and afternoon rush hours. This is what has made Venezuela’s moto-cabs, or motorcycles plain and simple, a near-indispensable means of transportation. (24 photos)
The Facebook account I opened when I arrived in Caracas lists around 200 people under the category of Friends. Truth is, I’d be surprised if I actually knew more than 5 of them personally. Since things have been extremely tense this week, I posted a photo I thought would help people relax a bit.
I’m in Venezuela, I have Venezuelan friends, my girlfriend is Venezuelan and I don’t want to see any of them beaten or killed. And of course I hope nothing happens to me either. I’m Cuban and while not on a government Mission, if the shit hits the fan nobody is going to ask me what I’m doing in Venezuela.
There was something I always thought about the first time I left Cuba. I was only gone for 11 months, but since it was my first time I was away from my family (not counting the rural boarding-schools), I was a little afraid of what might happen while away from them and my friends.
The phone rang earlier than usual. A friend had called to share the news that left me wanting to scream, but at the same time I was stunned. I cried out the pain, shocked, because one is always left like that when someone dies violently, unexpectedly.