The regular water supply in Venezuela has declined notably, following a spike in power outages, creating more hardship for Venezuelan citizens. According to a study from the Venezuelan Observatory of Public Works, 72 percent of people store water. Not all, however, have the means to do it following international health standards to prevent diseases, such as by using airtight containers.
Neither can all people boil water to make it potable, because the gas supply is increasingly irregular. “We don’t boil it, we collect it, and drink it like that, ready for whatever comes,” Miriam Vega told Voice of America’s Venezuela 360. Vega, who lives with her family in an impoverished area of Caracas, made the decision to limit the use of gas to ensure that her family is able to cook the little food they can afford.
Like her, thousands of Venezuelans are forced to ration their use of basic services. The Nicolás Maduro regime, however, affirms it works to guarantee the quality of life of in communities.
“Venezuela has a social security system, a social protection system, missions, great missions, and, specifically, a profoundly humane public health system that’s profoundly inclusive,” Maduro said at the end of August.
Citizens who spoke to Voice of America, however, say the basic services crisis prevents them from following even the simplest recommendations to avoid propagating diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, or Zika, which can be fatal if not treated on time.