President Nicolas Maduro meeting at the Miraflores Palace with recently appointed opposition governors this Monday, January 24. Photo: Presidential Press.
On Monday, January 24, from the plenary of the Federal Council of Government, the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, emphasized that the Council’s priority should be the country’s public services and economy.
The head of state estimated that of the investment allocated to governors and mayors, the resources should be distributed as follows: 35% to water, 25% to electricity, 20% on roads, 10% on gas, and 10% on solid waste.
“The priorities of this Federal Council of Government are already established,” stated Maduro from Miraflores Palace. “The first is the economy, with great import. However, it must also focus these resources that we are going to deliver every two months. Every two months, part of the resources will be delivered and, in a consistent manner, investment in public services should occur. Our priorities are public services, it’s a priority for the national government, governorships, mayors, and Popular Power [communes].”
Similarly, President Maduro explained that the budget of Venezuela’s Federal Council of Government will be distributed as follows: 33% for governors, 25% mayors, 27% for Popular Power, and 15% for improving the institution of the government’s Federal Council.
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In this regard, Maduro announced that it will deliver a total of 312,580,454.33 bolívars to the governorates, from the VAT [value-added tax] collection, equivalent at the current exchange rate to about $68 million USD. The first disbursement, of about Bs. 18,546,000, will take place in the next few hours.
“All this must be transformed into investment so that people have water, so that the electricity supply is constant, and to address the issue of solid rights, gas, roads, and access to the most remote areas,” President Maduro said.
Paying out the Patria bonus
During his speech, the Venezuelan head of state also indicated that work is being done to increase and pay all stimulus checks delivered to workers via the Patria System.
For this, the president detailed, assets will be issued to governorships, in order to pay the stimulus checks to the workers.
“This year we are going to focus on… the stimulus checks of the country, and increasing them,” President Maduro said.
In order to meet the objectives, the president urged all governors and mayors to unite and raise their voices to demand that the US government cease its illegal economic blockade and unilateral measures imposed against Venezuela.
“We have to overcome the blockade,” President Maduro said. “We have to unite with one voice, to demand that the US end the blockade, [to] generate better wages, and more public investment.”
Meeting with opposition governors
Within the framework of the inauguration of the Federal Council of Government, President Maduro also held a meeting with four opposition governors at Miraflores Palace.
#EnVivo 📹 | Junto a los Gobernadores, Gobernadoras, Alcaldes y Alcaldesas de las capitales del país, instalamos la Plenaria del Consejo Federal de Gobierno. https://t.co/EamAbG1Lf9
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) January 24, 2022
Manuel Rosales, governor of Zulia state, Alberto Galindez from Cojedes, Morel Rodríguez from Nueva Esparta, and Sergio Garrido from Barinas participated in the activity. Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, were also present.
Featured image: President Nicolás Maduro meeting with recently appointed opposition governors this Monday, January 24, at Miraflores Palace. Photo: Presidential Press.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
