Capriles calls for “dollarizing” Venezuela’s salary

Caracas, Sept 4 (EFE).- The candidate for the October opposition primaries in Venezuela, Henrique Capriles, asked Monday to “dollarize” the salary and increase the minimum wage and pension by more than 3,600%.

Venezuela’s minimum wage is currently at 130 bolivars (about 3.96 dollars and 3.67 euros). The increase will take it to a 150 dollars (about 139 euros).

“We must not wait for the elections. We must not wait for political change. We all want political change, indeed, but today people have to eat, people get sick”, said the politician during a meeting with trade unionists and workers.

The former governor explained that national income should be dollarized “until there is a strong currency in the country”.

“A decree would have already been signed to increase the minimum wage and pension to 150 dollars a month ‘if there had been the political will’ on the part of President Nicolás Maduro’s government”, the opposition leader stressed.

Capriles, twice presidential candidate, questioned that, since March 2022, there has not been an increase in remunerations, even though “oil revenues” and “tax collection” have increased.

“The Government talks about economic recovery (…) We cannot talk about economic recovery while a public worker -because private workers are in another situation- is earning 130 bolivars per month.” he said.

“Some people spend 70 bolívares a day on transportation to and from work in Caracas,” Capriles pointed out.

He reiterated that his “first decree” as president would be to raise salaries and pensions while taking measures to curb inflation.

Capriles -disqualified to hold elected public office- will participate with 12 other candidates in the opposition primaries that will be held on October 22 to define a coalition candidacy that aims to defeat the official Chavismo in the 2024 presidential elections. EFE

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