Venezuela to Reopen for December – Maduro on Telegram and WhatsApp – Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

As of this Monday, November 30, Venezuela will begin four weeks of broad flexibility with the activation of fifty-three economic sectors for the Christmas season. “Flexibility must be safe,” said President Nicolás Maduro, who urged the population to take extreme preventive measures to avoid outbreaks of COVID-19. From Fuerte Tiuna, located in Caracas, he explained that the 7 + 7 reopening scheme will be resumed in January 2021 “with strength, organization, discipline and awareness.”

“The 7 + 7 is pertinent, correct, fair, useful and has worked because we have taken care of ourselves,” he stressed, noting that, under this methodology that alternates quarantine and flexibility, Venezuela managed to “maintain a low trend of infections and deaths.”

In this regard, the Minister for Health, Carlos Alvarado, indicated that in “these next few weeks the use of a mask is essential, as well as distancing and hygiene of the hands.” Likewise, he recommended avoiding crowds of people and opting for activities in open spaces.

In reference to a report prepared by the Ministry for Health (MPPS), as of November 28th 4,264 active cases were reported, including 332 new cases, and 328 medical discharges registered on Monday. He explained that this week the Capital District, Apure, Barinas, Guárico, Mérida, Miranda, Nueva Esparta and Zulia showed decreases in their infection rates, while Amazonas, Carabobo, Cojedes, Lara, Táchira, La Guaira and Yaracuy reported an increase in infections by COVID-19.

Currently, Venezuela has thirteen active cases for every 100,000 inhabitants, said the dignitary. Meanwhile, 264 active imported cases were reported, of which 254 came from the state of Táchira bordering Colombia. This figure refers to a reduction of 40% compared to the previous week. “We have 95 percent of patients who have recovered, all of whom received free medical attention,” he added.

President Maduro also announced that in January the 7 + 7 reopening scheme will be resumed, which will make it possible to boost the national economy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. “In January we will return to 7 + 7, because it’s a successful method,” he said this Sunday during a day of reporting on the fight against COVID-19.

In this context, he instructed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, and Minister Carlos Alvarado, to guarantee the supply of treatments throughout the national territory. “Let’s make a special effort so that the most powerful treatments that we have reach people with serious or moderate conditions, who are at risk due to pre-existent conditions they may have, so that they reach every corner, throughout the country, to save lives,” recommended the national leader.

National governement ensures the distribution of toys and pork legs for this Christmas 2020
President Maduro also assured that there are gifts of toys for girls and boys, as well as perniles (pork legs or shoulders) for Christmas dinners, which will soon be distributed through the different Community Councils across the country: “I have in my hands all the toys that Baby Jesus will send to all the boys and girls in the country this Christmas.”

He also added that, faced with a year of pandemic and persecution by the North American empire, the Bolivarian Government guarantees attention to each Venezuelan family during the Christmas season.

Maduro stated that more than six million families will be served through the Pernil Plan (distribution of pork at subsidized prices): “the most important thing about this achievement is that all the perniles that will be delivered to each of the families are part of the national production,” he said. “When I created the Pernil Plan years ago to give Christmas items to people as part of the Happy Christmas Plan, these toys and perniles had to be imported, but this year all perniles were produced in Venezuela.”

“In 2018 almost 60 percent were imported, while in 2019 it was only 40 percent, and this year they are all from national production.”

Maduro on WhatsApp and Telegram
On Sunday the Venezuelan head of state announced that he’ll start using WhatsApp and Telegram to facilitate interaction with the population. During a televised broadcast on Venezolana de Televisión, Maduro announced that he is joining the two new communication channels through the telephone number 0426-216-8871 “to listen to you, assist you, and hug you.”

“I am in the battle on Twitter, Tik Tok, Facebook, Youtube… I am in everything, and now we’re going to use WhatsApp and Telegram. There we will be able to interact with your groups,” he confirmed.

The national president asked Venezuelans to “support each other. You know you can count on me. I am an ordinary man, a man of the street. You know that you can count on me, and I know that I can count on you.”

Featured image: President Maduro announcing the December reopening in Venezuela. photo courtesy of Prensa Presidencial.

(Alba Ciudad)

Translation: OT/JRE/SL