I have been waking up for days with the image of a girl, whom I saw on the sides of a shopping center, digging along with her little brothers, in the garbage dumps. Between 7 and 9 years old, children looked for anything to mitigate hunger. He tells me about it while his reddened eyes seek an explanation for such violence and degradation against the most vulnerable population: children.
The statistics of the agencies that work on these issues, such as the Bengoa Foundation, Cáritas or universities, such as Central de Venezuela, Simón Bolívar or Andrés Bello, place poverty at just over 87%. Of that universe, over 60% are in extreme poverty. This indicates that they can barely eat a plate of hot food a week. Of the rest, they are leftovers that they find in the black bags that swarm through the city. It is the harsh reality of a country whose society is at extreme risk of malnutrition and begins to suffer other ailments, such as infectious diseases: malaria, tuberculosis, or the risks of contagion of cholera due to the use of contaminated water.
It is the reality of a country where aggression against the population comes from the same state government, converted into a totalitarian regime. The population is being mistreated, humiliated, segregated and condemned to daily and permanent violence. It can be seen when, at dawn, the endless queues of citizens draw in front of groceries, markets and supermarkets, the suffering of those who seek even a kilo of precooked cornmeal to make the arepas.
This is the Venezuela of hunger and misery. A country that dies slowly in front of the eyes of the world. It is the reality that is lived every day. Like this one where an unfortunate Venezuelan dies of hunger in the dungeons of the police. Or of three neonates killed in a public hospital because the power supply failed and the artificial respirators stopped working.
However, parallel to this drama, to this aberration, this continuous vexation of the regime also moves a society that is organized in front of the humanitarian emergency. Far from the political-partisan diatribe a community leadership is shown in thousands of organizations, from neighborhood associations, religious support groups, to NGOs, to protect citizens, be it arbitrary detentions, torture, forced disappearances, selective killings or massacres, until the segregation for political reasons (obligation to have the card of the country to receive food and medicine).
These organizations are constantly working throughout the country, some in a coordinated manner, others by private initiative, but all seeking to alleviate the suffering of a population subjected to the daily suffering of hunger.
It is no longer just the attention to child malnutrition (which exceeds 10% in extreme malnutrition) is also at imminent risk the population of older adults. In the case of chronic patients, the risk of death is counted in weeks and even days. It remains to comment on the most "malnourished of all" among the most vulnerable populations: the psychiatric, indigenous and prison population.
I just indicated, in summary, the following: one of my political nieces recently told me that she heard from a friend that in one of the Venezuelan prisons, the prisoners kept a pig farm. In that place there were animals confined in a closed space. The pigs let them pass seasons without food. This because the boss (called "pran" Renegade Assassin Renegade Nato) when he had to sentence a prisoner who committed a fault, he condemned it to be thrown to the pigs. The friend commented that the screams were heartbreaking and piercing. Nobody left that cochinera alive.
It is the aberration and obscenity of a State regime that allows, by planned action or omission, that these and other abuses exist against the human condition of Venezuelans. However, solidarity, kindness and the action of community work are infecting Venezuelan society.
Today, while the arbitrariness of the State allows even the penetration of occupation forces from other countries, disguised as "internationalists and advisers" along with organized crime in gangs and mega bands, as well as guerrilla organizations and other paramilitary groups (collectives), organized citizens He is responding and while doing so, he is strengthened in his solidarity and kindness.
Undoubtedly, Venezuelan society will know how to overcome this aberration, this outrage against its principles and values. The reconstruction of the institutional base of the republic will be hard and will cost time and effort. Certainly. But the strength of the Venezuelan is superior to any atrocity and evil.
