Pensioners Protest Low Wages and Lack of Medical Care at Caracas Shock Headquarters

2023-11-14 18:10:34

A group of retirees protested this Tuesday, November 14, at the administrative headquarters of the ICaracas shockwhere they sold pork to active workers at $6 per kilo, which would be discounted in three parts.

Roberto Carpio, from the Ipasme Retirees Association, led the protest with a fast outside the headquarters of the institution that provides medical assistance to educational personnel.

He did it as a form of rejection by the more than 600 days that the minimum wage or pension has not been increased and for the lack of medical care and the delivery of medicines for those who worked for three decades for the Institute of Social Welfare and Assistance for the staff of the Ministry of Education (Ipasme).

“We are here to find a solution to the need for hunger that we active and retired people have.. The conditions of the Ipasme worker are at rock bottom, what we have left is to unite and take over the Ipasme facilities because enough of staying silent and holding on and I know that I am risking my freedom with that,” said Carpio.

At the Caracas headquarters they held a day of selling pork for active workers. Photo: Mairet Chourio

Just 200 bolivars, almost 6 dollars, Carpio received last month from his pension. This money was only enough to buy 100 grams of coffee, a kilo and a half of chicken shell and a kilo of chopped rice for his pet.

Retirees depend on their children

Pensioners recognize that in order to cover their needs they have to depend on their children.

“I have stopped doing everything I like because depending on children is shameful. I thought that when I reached this age I would live in peace, walking, going to the movies. My daughter always asks me: ‘mommy is enough for you’ and I always say yes because it makes me sad to ask for more and she is also abusive,” said Ana Vásquez, 74 years old.

For her part, Margoth Monasterios, from the Trade Union Coalition, denounced that the delivery of bags of food and low wages is a method of “social control” that the government has towards public workers.

“Because they do not give the salary as it should, with benefits, with bonuses, as it was before and increases annually, they are not giving bonuses. This is crazy what they are doing with workers and retirees“Monasteries claimed.

Roberto Carpio fasted this Tuesday, November 14: Photo: Mairet Chourio