For the second consecutive week and a just few days after the start of the year 2023, Venezuelan teachers have come out from all corners of the national territory demanding fair working conditions in the face of a dire economic situation that pulverizes the pocket of this and other unions in the country.
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Not only the education union has decided to continue raising its voice, both public employees and the healthcare sector joined a protest that has been going on for a few years, but which the Chavista leadership has viewed with great indifference.
Furthermore, “La Patilla” correspondents closely followed the protests that took place throughout the country on Monday, January 16th, demanding “decent wages.”
“Empty Bag March”
The states of Aragua and Carabobo in the central region of the country joined the new week of protests, demanding fair wages.
The Rector of the “Universidad de Carabobo” (UC, University of Carabobo), Jessy Divo de Romero, assured that the maximum house of studies of Carabobo States will keep its doors open, but the authorities will support the fight of university workers who demand their rights.
Likewise, in Aragua, the most repeated slogan on Bolívar Avenue in Maracay was “We do not want bonuses, we want a fair salary”, during the massive march that active, retired and pensioned teachers staged.
Tired Of “Revolutionary” Bonds
Maduro’s regime constantly boasts of the bonuses it grants through the Patria System, however their amounts are not enough to cover the basic needs of any Venezuelan, a reality that was made clear in the states of plains state this Monday.
Tired of chavista bonuses, low wages and failings in social security, educators from Apure Sate returned to the streets to carry out an activity called “El Pancartazo” (The banner storm), in front of the facilities of the Federation of Workers of Apure State (FetrApure) in San Fernando (the state capital).
For his part, a former oil worker who, together with the other retirees and members of the Association of Retirees of the Andean Region, went this Monday to “Avenida 23 de Enero de Barinas”, to join employees, workers, university students, teachers and staff of the healthcare sector, to claim “what (rightfully) corresponds to us”.
“The bonuses that they are giving us are a “pañito de aqua fría” (cold water rag/pad), because the one that was paid yesterday (Sunday) was not enough at all, and apart from that, it does not affect our salary (not part of the lawfull salary. What we need is for the government to sign our collective contract,” emphasized one of the protesters from San Juan de los Morros.
“Echando Chíspas” After The Mockery Bonus
Health workers from Táchira State who came out this Monday to accompany the protests of the educators spelled them out to Nicolás Maduro and stated that they are not bought with a voucher for 580 bolivars.
“The salary we ask for is a minimum of $700 (U.S. dollars a month),” said a nurse named Marina Galvis, who assured that it is not fair that they have to go to hospitals begging for rides.
On the other hand, Falcón State, a teacher dressed as a beggar to show that teachers are headed towards begging, because their salary is not even enough to eat. He also cannot buy uniforms or shoes, since the salary does not reach 30 U.S. dollars a month.
Similarly, Yaracuy State, neither police fences nor bonuses nor threats stopped hundreds of national and state educators, in the company of administrative personnel and workers, held a march to demand better salary benefits and the payment of contractual debts.
In videos broadcast on social networks from San Felipe, it can be seen how anti-riot officials from the GNB and the regional police tried to stop the teachers, but the crowd kept on while chanting “the united union will never be defeated.”
They energetically continued their march, while the uniformed men had no choice but to fall back.
Finally, the riot police were reduced in the crowd and the protesters continued on their way.
“With Hunger One Does Not Perform Well”
Active and retired teachers, workers of the National Electric Corporation (Corpoelec), healthcare personnel, workers of the Universidad de Oriente (UDO, Eastern University), employees of the Sucre State Government of and the Hidrológica del Caribe (Hidrocaribe, water utility government company), attended the mobilization in Cumaná and they did not rule out continuing with their street agenda until they are heard.
Likewise, in the State of Nueva Esparta, the “economic war” bonus of Chavismo generated more rejection than satisfaction among the island’s teachers who this Monday held a new rally at the Casa del Maestro (Teacher’s House), located in “La Asunción”, a place that once again was insufficient to accommodate the large number of attendees.
From very early on, a large number of public employees gathered in the “Plaza El Estudiante” (Student’s Square) with banners alluding to the miserable salaries they earn.
The teachers once again expressed their indignation about their current salaries, and in the face of street pressure from the latest demonstrations by the educational union, the Chavista regime granted a “bonus” of 580 bolivars through the Patria System “to try to calm the waters”.
Similarly, a group of workers walked from different points in Barcelona, Anzoátegui state, and had as a meeting place the adjacencies of the state government building, where the police officers present could not prevent the vehicular passage through the avenues, Miranda Av. and July 5th, from being blocked.
Public workers from different sectors that live in this eastern state demand a decent wage from Nicolás Maduro’s regime that would allows them to cover their needs and those of their families.
Teachers, public workers from different unions and retirees call to remain on the streets of the country to demand, beyond wage demands, that Chavismo listen to its people who ask for a better quality of life.