Venezuelan protesters call government wage hike a joke
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Caracas: Around 1,500 demonstrators took to the streets of Caracas on Friday to denounce the government's latest income increase as grossly insufficient. Protesters marched through the city center, chanting ‘a bonus is not a salary’ while under the watch of riot police.
The backlash follows an announcement by Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who raised the monthly ‘comprehensive minimum income’ from $190 to $240. However, this 26% increase consists mostly of government bonuses that do not count toward retirement benefits or holiday pay, leading union leaders to label the move a ‘trick’.
The economic reality remains dire, as a basic food basket for a family of five is estimated to cost $700 per month. While Rodriguez acknowledged the increase is ‘not enough,’ she pointed to upcoming reforms in the oil and mining sectors as a path to recovery.
Despite a record 475% inflation rate in 2025, signs of thawing relations with the U.S. including the first direct flight in seven years offer a glimmer of hope for the nation's struggling economy.
Photo Credits: AFP
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