CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) 鈥� Union leaders, retirees and public sector workers in the marched Thursday toward the presidential palace to demand higher wages and dignified pensions, only to be met by police blockades.
The protests came the day after to ask public and private sector workers for patience as her government works to improve .
Workers’ wages for years have not allowed them to afford basic necessities. Many public sector workers survive on roughly $160 per month, while the average private sector employee earned about $237 last year.
鈥淐all for elections and leave, that鈥檚 what the Venezuelan worker wants today,鈥� said Jos茅 Patines, a marching union leader, referring to the country鈥檚 government. 鈥淏ecause if on May 1 they come with an increase of a few dollars, no. We don’t need it. We want a salary with purchasing power.鈥�
National Police officers deployed early Thursday across downtown Caracas to intercept the march. Several times, demonstrators successfully breached initial barriers. Reinforced blockades eventually halted the crowd, leaving the majority of protesters roughly 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Miraflores presidential palace.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or arrests during the scuffles between police and protesters.
Rodr铆guez in her address promised workers a wage increase on May 1. She did not disclose the amount but said it would be done in a way meant to avoid the inflationary spike that followed the last minimum wage increase.
鈥淭his increase, as we have indicated, will be a responsible increase,鈥� Rodr铆guez said. 鈥淟ikewise in the near future, as Venezuela enjoys more resources that allow for the sustainability of salary improvements and workers鈥� income, we will continue moving forward on this path.鈥�
Venezuela鈥檚 minimum wage of 130 bolivars, or $0.27 a month, has not increased since 2022, putting it well below the United Nations鈥� measure of extreme poverty of $3 a day. However, many public employees earn more 鈦爐hrough bonuses and other stipends that can take their monthly 鈥媔ncomes up to $160.
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