The traces of pain still remain latent in Las Tejerías, a small town in central Venezuela, where many of its affected inhabitants did not receive the aid promised by Nicolás Maduro’s regime. This would have allowed them, despite the tragedy, a return to normalcy.
By Adalberto Pérez – Correspondent lapatilla.1eye.us
The wound remains open, after exactly one year when in October 8th, 2022, a dark day that was etched in the memory of Las Tejerías and all Venezuela after a devastating landslide triggered by the persistent rains that claimed the lives of more than 50 people and left numerous residents missing.
The colossal landslide dragged sediments, trees and vehicles with it, burying tens of homes in its wake and causing the destruction of a large area n the town.
Ivor Barrios, a well-known resident of Las Tejerías, sadly assured that the sectors that were deeply affected were not attended to. “They only fix, as it were, where the queen passes.”
Barrios, while remembering that this October 8th, marks one year since the tragedy that engulfed Las Tejerías, pointed out that there is still much to do because the Santos Michelena Municipality has proven to be very vulnerable to rain. “Today we do not have a shelter that can immediately attend these eventualities and I think it is necessary that in the event of an early warning, we can go to such a place,” he commented.
One of the critical points that this municipality of Aragua State has is in the El Beisbol neighborhood, specifically in the Antonio José de Sucre sector, where the street is about to disappear because the ravine created by the river wash out increasingly erodes the road making the path narrower.
“El Beisbol neighborhood is about to be cut off, as well as Llano Grande and Los Angelinos. It is important that the competent government bodies not only focus on the main streets of Las Tejerías, but that they truly care for all the communities that were affected,” said Barrios.
Another of the great mysteries that puzzles the inhabitants of Las Tejerías is the allocation of new homes and relocation of families who were left in high-risk areas at risk of new natural eventualities that could destroy Tejerías homes.
Elié Pérez, a resident of the El Béisbol neighborhood, questioned the system used by the Mayor’s Office of Santos Michelena, and the Government of Aragua State, because “they favored many “friends of friends” there and unfortunately left out people who needed of those awards that for many families and acquaintances, remained only promises.”
“Maduro must know, what we have here are ‘pañitos de agua tibia’ (sketchy, superficial measures). The CLAP (paid food aid bag of food), to give you an example, happens every three months. When they talked about helping the people of Las Tejerías, were they referring to that? Let’s help them every three months?” said Mrs. Elié.
When asked about the tragedy, she responded: “here every time it rains, one holds one’s heart in one’s hand. Look at the rain, rivers quickly fill up and bring with them a lot of mud, dirt and even pebbles. The danger is latent.”
Given the rumor of the visit of the national authorities and even Maduro himself, on the main road of Las Tejerías you can see how maintenance crews from the Santos Michelena Mayor’s Office work to plant palm trees and rearrange decorations that allow the contrasts to be visually improved.
Elié Pérez said: “these last few days, if I’m honest. The only new thing I have seen is that they are planting some palm trees. People say this is because Maduro is coming. But those palm trees do not solve our problems.”
Among the problems that the regime has not solved is the financing of small entrepreneurs, and merchants who lost their premises and their work tools. Not everyone received aid, which remained only promises.
“The president offered credits and compensation to those affected, but none of that has touched me. I have not received any help from any institution, it is true that they asked me for the papers, but it just stopped there. They gave credits to many, but as far as I’m concerned they didn’t give me anything,” declared Úrsula González, owner of a restaurant which was totally lost after the floods.
Furthermore, González denounced that there was no real support from the National Government to merchants and entrepreneurs, because today, those who received the credits and financing, many cannot pay the fees because the economic situation is unsustainable.
“Some received credits and now they have no way to pay it back, here taxes are anchored to the ‘Petro’ (government’s digital coin) and that is more expensive than the dollar itself,” she added.
“How does one pay back a loan, a person from a town that was left in ruins, here people were dependent on the bonds (government largesse, cash aid). Here people have to look for work in La Victoria or Los Teques, but the salary in the end of the day does not allow them to pay for the bus fare, because it is not enough pay,” stated Úrsula.
The first anniversary of the tragedy in Las Tejerías should be a moment of reflection for the authorities and a call to action to fulfill the promises made to this community that continues to struggle to recover. The pain persists, and reports of abandonment are a constant echo in this town forgotten by the central government of Venezuela.