MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuelan teachers and senior citizens stage yet another protest

The Onapre instructions have resulted in most bonuses taken away, protesters explained

A group of pensioners and teachers marched Wednesday again through the streets of Caracas to protest against their meager income and to demand the payment of overdue adjustments and bonuses agreed upon through collective bargaining with President Nicolás Maduro's administration.

They also demanded instructions from the National Budget Office (Onapre) for the payment of their wages are repealed because they violate the labor rights of all civil servants.

Luis Cano, of the Frente Amplio de Jubilados y Pensionados, denounced that “we are sentenced to live in a state of anguish, of destitution”, since the pension of 130 bolivars, equivalent to about 30 dollars in March of this year, “15 days ago went to 20 dollars and now to 14 dollars.”

He also insisted the Onapre's instructions “took away all the benefits that cost us 40, 50, 60 years of struggle, such as the food and transportation bonuses, the whole tabulator was flattened.”

“In view of this situation, we decided to take to the streets to exercise our right to protest so that all our benefits are reinstated,” he told reporters during the demonstration at the doorsteps of the Institute of Social Welfare and Assistance for the personnel of the Ministry of Education (Ipasme) in downtown Caracas.

Cano also pointed out that this is in addition to “the increase to 3 bolívares in the minimum fare, which means that in a period of 2 months they have increased the fare by 200%.”

He also feared the government had no intention of improving the situation of senior citizens and suggested pensions should go up at least by US$200, which “would not be enough to live as we should, but it would guarantee us to eat 3 times a day and to have money to buy medicines.”

Meanwhile, teachers lectured on how the Onapre instructions curtailed the income of all public employees between 40 and 70%.

Read also: Venezuelan civil servants march against salary-deteriorating instructions

(Source: ANSA)