(Caracas) Caracas and the neighboring state of Miranda have been placed in strict containment since Wednesday morning to curb the spread of the COVID pandemic - 19, rapidly expanding in the Venezuelan capital, announced President Nicolas Maduro.
France Media Agency
"Due to the increase in cases of COVID - 19 due to the illegal entry of people into our country [...], I decided to apply strict and necessary containment in Caracas and in the State of Miranda. Health is the priority! "Wrote the Socialist head of state on Twitter overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday.
"Strict" confinement means that only essential businesses (pharmacies, supermarkets) can open and that the six million inhabitants of Caracas can only leave their homes to buy food or go to the doctor.
Venezuela applies since June a system called "7-7" in which a week of "strict" confinement of 30 million inhabitants alternate with a week of "relaxation" of travel restrictions and opening of shops.
This week is a week of "softened" confinement, but in view of the spread of the virus in Caracas and in the state of Miranda, Nicolas Maduro has decided to apply "strict confinement". According to official figures, the capital concentrates 1079 and Miranda 889 of 10 00 0 cases of COVID - 19 officially listed throughout the country.
"In truth, the figures for Caracas and Miranda are alarming," exclaimed Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday evening.
However, confinement seemed little respected in the streets of the capital Wednesday at midday, according to AFP journalists. "There are a lot of people on the street [...]. You have to boil the pot, "said Francis Moreno, a trader in the Sabana Grande neighborhood.
Because a good part of Venezuelans work in the informal sector and live from day to day. Eight in ten Venezuelan families don't earn enough to eat properly, according to a university study released last week.
Venezuela is going through the worst economic and social crisis in its recent history. Hyperinflation has exceeded 9000% last year, shortages of drugs and gas are increasing and the health system is on its knees.
Until mid-May, the number of officially registered cases in the South American country remained below a thousand, and then jumped in June. On Tuesday, Venezuela crossed the bar of 10 00 0 people infected with COVID - 19 for 96 death related to the disease. But NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and the Venezuelan opposition find these figures unlikely.
The number two of the Chavista power Diosdado Cabello and the Minister of Petroleum Tareck El Aissami announced last week that they had contracted the new coronavirus.