2023-04-30 00:14:11
According to UNHCR, more than seven million people have left Venezuela seeking protection and a better life.
En Venezuela, the current situation is critical and the lack of resources and public infrastructure is increasingly alarming. However, on social networks, artists, singers, models and influencers share a Venezuela that only a few can enjoy. They showcase new brands, restaurants, and even Ferrari dealerships, creating a bubble of inequality and opulence.
In Venezuela, the average salary of a citizen is six dollars, while the price of a lunch alone can far exceed that amount. In addition, the lack of public services, such as gasoline and drinking water, affects the entire country, which is made up of 23 states, many of which are completely abandoned.
“If you don’t live what happens in Venezuela, you wouldn’t understand it,” say some ordinary citizens consulted by Latin America Reports. The situation is further aggravated by the lack of real and truthful information. According to the National Survey of Living Conditions (Encovi) carried out by several universities in Venezuela, 64.8% of Venezuelan households are in a situation of extreme poverty and 14.4% are in a situation of moderate poverty.
On the other hand, the global malnutrition rate in the country is 9.3%, which means that approximately 2.5 million people suffer from malnutrition. The global acute malnutrition rate in children under five years of age is 3.6%. The desperation is such that citizens ask for help in all aspects, from access to food to medical care.
The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has led to a mass exodus of citizens from the country. According to UNHCR, more than seven million people have left Venezuela seeking protection and a better life. Most of them have found a welcome in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Los influencers
Despite the above, influencers on social networks continue to show a distorted reality, which leads many people to believe that Venezuela is improving. For example, Mariangel Duartes, who lived in Argentina for six years, decided to return to Venezuela after seeing on social media that the country had recovered.
“Going back to Venezuela was not an easy decision, one of the things I saw on the internet was new ventures, new growth opportunities that I only saw through social networks, even though I asked my family how they were and they always told me how good they were. , that’s how my journey began in July 2022,” Duartes said.
Last year, the government of Nicolás Maduro signed an agreement with Iran to encourage local tourism through cooperation with tour operators and influencers.
“In compliance with the Implementation Program in Tourism Cooperation between the Mintur and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Crafts of the Islamic Republic of Iran 2021-2023, today 23 Iranian tour operators arrive on the island of Margarita,” he said at the time.
But according to Duartes, the reality he encountered is far from what he seeks to promote through social networks: “When I visited my family and opened the fridge, what I found was a void, sadly that is how they live in homes Venezuelans, since eating has become a luxury.”
“The end of my trip ended in Trujillo passing through Bejuma, Yaracuy and Barquisimeto. The roads were in terrible condition, but this time the big problem was the guards, the military, and the police. We spent 30 alcabalas on a 7-hour trip. Anyone would feel happy and protected by the presence of the authorities that are supposed to take care of the people, but everything is far from that. These people today are only dedicated to asking for money at each checkpoint, that made me feel very frustrated, ”he said.
In short, inequality, lack of resources and corruption are the main problems facing Venezuelan society. It is necessary to inform the world about the true situation of the country and ask for help to solve the serious problems that affect its population.
“I know that it is difficult to live in these conditions, but we must move on and work for a better future. I would also tell them that they are not alone and that there are many people in the world who care about Venezuela and who are willing to help in any way they can,” Duartes said.
luxurious life
Some well-known Venezuelan influencers include Mau Montaner, La Divaza, and Rosmery Marval. These influencers often share content depicting a luxurious and opulent life in Venezuela, contrasting with the real situation faced by many citizens of the country.
However, it is important to keep in mind that not all influencers in Venezuela present a distorted image of reality. There are influencers who use their platforms to raise awareness about the situation in the country and to help people affected by the humanitarian crisis.
Via El Nacional…
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