International
Gustavo Petro celebrates the achievements of the first half of his mandate and affirms that “it has not been easy”
The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, celebrated this Wednesday the progress made in the first half of his mandate and affirmed that these two years in power “have not been easy,” but he will give “everything” to achieve the goals he set.
This was expressed in an address to the country that was recorded in a cafeteria in the town of Ventaquemada, in the central department of Boyacá, on the occasion of the second anniversary of his Government, which began on August 7, 2022.
“It has not been two easy years, we have the finish, where we will give everything to achieve the goals,” said Petro, who acknowledged: “We have had problems and obstacles, but also achievements and satisfactions.”
Petro charged against Law 100, which created the comprehensive social security system made up of schemes for pensions, health, occupational risks and complementary social services, which he has tried to reform with a new law claiming that it does not work, but that it sank in Congress.
“The system of Law 100 is useless. Tens of billions of pesos are being stolen in recent years while public hospitals are closed. The reform of public services is fundamental,” said the ruler.
In taking stock of his management, the president highlighted 15 points in which his administration has advanced the most, starting with the 1.6 million Colombians who said they came out of poverty and the more than 1.2 million who left extreme poverty, and recalled that in the pandemic, the country “reached a monetary poverty of 40% of its population. Today we are at 33%.”
According to Petro, more than 500,000 adults over 80 years of age benefit from the pension bonus that increased from 80,000 pesos (about 19.3 dollars today) to 225,000 pesos (about 54 dollars), and assured that “this is the biggest social revolution in the last 70 years.”
When referring to employment, he stressed that more than one million jobs were created and that the salary was increased by 12%, while he managed to lower the cost of the family basket.
In tourism, one of his government flags, said that it was possible to increase by 26.6% in 2023, “exceeding 5.8 million non-resident visitors in Colombia” and that “in the first half of this year it increased by 8.5%.”
Later he said that the country is advancing in the energy transition because the production of clean energy went, not counting hydroelectric plants, from 0.2 gigawatts to two gigawatts.
He also estimated that deforestation was reduced by 54% last year throughout the country, “the best figure in 23 years. And 61% in the Amazon rainforest.”
In that sense, he recalled that Cali, capital of the department of Valle del Cauca, will host COP16, which will be held from October 21 to November 1.
Finally, he said that so far this year the seizure of cocaine increased by 23%. “We have been seized 1,500 tons in these two years, which have a market value of 42 billion dollars, more than oil and coal combined.”
“I am the first to recognize that there is a lot of way to go. We have not achieved everything we would have liked, but we have done, and we have done more than many think or say, among others, because the fiscal situation we found was not the most favorable,” he said.
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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