VENEZUELA: CRISIS IN BOLÍVAR NARRATED BY ITS VICTIMS

Representatives of the health sector have denounced that in recent months there has been an epidemic of amoebiasis and hepatitis A in Guayana City, with the preschool and school-age population being the most affected

Bolívar, despite being the largest and the sixth most populous state in Venezuela, is neglected by the authorities and its inhabitants suffer the consequences every day. This magazine compiles a series of articles and testimonies describing the impact of the massive human rights and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. Even though their land is rich in natural resources, minerals and energy sources, the people of Bolívar have to deal with major problems ranging from fuel shortages, lack of transport and power cuts to the mafias that have settled in the region, who benefit from operating in a border area with large deposits of gold and minerals.

The state-led Orinoco Mining Arc project (Arco Minero del Orinoco), located in northern Bolívar, has been devoted to gold mining and the extraction of mineral resources since 2016. This project has had a devastating environmental impact that has been denounced by NGOs, local leaders and various agents. It has also worsened the violence and clashes between irregular groups and government agencies that want to take control of the mining business. Indigenous communities are under the scourge of criminal gangs that promote terror, sexual exploitation and death, which particularly affect girls and women.

Fuel shortages are another problem for Bolívar state residents, who have to wait in kilometers-long lines for several days to refuel their vehicles at the few gas stations that are working. Many have complained that they are only allowed to fill between 20 and 30 liters of gasoline so that it does not run out. The authorities announced in August 2018 that gasoline would be sold at international prices to those not registered in the national census of motor vehicles. Almost a year later, this mechanism has not been applied. The fuel shortage has triggered a decline in public and private transport that prevents people from getting to work or school.

The production, distribution and shipping of food and basic goods are also almost halted. Domestic gas has also disappeared in many places, while in others it is irregularly available at the regulated price. Residents of various sectors of the state have complained of being without it for months, which has led them to use firewood for cooking. Protests for the full restoration of the service are escalating in a number of sectors. Power outages, after the national blackout and the announcement of an electricity rationing plan that is not being complied with, have become frequent and keep the population in a state of uncertainty that makes them interrupt and adjust their schedules.

Representatives of the health sector have denounced that in recent months there has been an epidemic of amoebiasis and hepatitis A in Guayana City, with the preschool and school-age population being the most affected. These diseases are related to the consumption of contaminated food or water. In several communities, people complain that not only is the drinking water supply to their homes irregular, but that when it is restored, the water is yellowish and gritty. Malaria is also a big problem in the state —Bolívar accounts for over 70% of the reported cases in the country. Experts credit the increase in the number of cases of the disease to gold mining and the Orinoco Mining Arc. This activity also contributes to spreading of the disease to Brazil and Colombia. Widespread corruption and medicine shortages have led to the illegal trade of antimalarial drugs and increased health emergencies, according to local NGOs. The national shortage of supplies, medicines and health personnel has significantly affected the region. This situation has led to the technical and total closure of important healthcare centers, such as the oncology center of Bolívar City and the Menca de Leoni pediatric center, the largest hospital in the east of the country.

Waste collection services are not working properly. Entire communities must survive surrounded by piles of garbage and debris that are not collected. This waste can remain outdoors for days, leading to the proliferation of insects and rodents. The same thing happens in streets, avenues and in front of retail food establishments and grocery stores.

We are grateful for the efforts of all the journalists, activists and courageous people who, in spite of suffering all the consequences that the lack of state attention unleashes in their region, offered their testimony to make visible the context of human rights violations in which they live.