Venezuelan Government Builds 372 Homes for Torrential Rain Victims

Vice President Elias Jaua presided over the delivery of the new homes, highlighting the celerity in which the Venezuelan government has acted in order to provide for those left displaced by the natural disaster.

“Only 15 days were needed for the Bolivarian Revolution, led by the President of the Republic, Hugo Chavez, to provide housing solutions to the families left homeless,” he said during an act held in the state of Miranda.

According to Jaua, the government has invested 284 million bolivars ($66 million USD) in the purchase of the new homes, the recipients of which will pay for their housing based on their economic ability.

“We know that there are people who can pay more, others who can pay less, and others who can’t pay anything… The necessity for housing is large… I assure you that [President] Chavez has ordered the housing projects to be accelerated,” he affirmed.

The 312 apartments delivered to victims on Sunday represent the first part of more than 1,000 homes to be provided for the families affected by the rains. The new homes form part of a residential area bought by the government that includes 60 four-story buildings in the Valle de Tuy in the state of Miranda, close to Caracas.

“This housing complex has 1,138 homes and in the next 8 days, we hope to be able to deliver 500,” the Vice President remarked. “Before the month of December, we hope to have provided housing for all the families that were affected by this tragedy,” he explained.

All of the apartments being delivered are fully equipped with furniture and domestic appliances including refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines.

The neighborhood also has four sports parks and four children’s parks for recreation as well as transportation for residents to the nearest Caracas metro station.

Minister for Education, Jenifer Gil, informed on Saturday that the children of the displaced will be enrolled in new schools in the Valle de Tuy and that all levels of government are cooperating to make sure that the families’ needs are met.

Gil informed that the government “is united in this task which will serve as an opportunity to improve the quality of life for the residents of Caracas.”

Nathali Bravo, a beneficiary of a new apartment, expressed her optimism for the new beginning that is being offered to her and those who have lost everything due to the catastrophe. “We’re grateful to all the government bodies that have made this possible”, she exclaimed.

“It’s something that God sent to us in order to open the door to a new future of hope.”

New Housing Accords

Since the heavy rains that have drenched the nation’s capital, housing has become a major priority of the government of Hugo Chavez.

In a recent visit to the military sector, Fuerte Tiuna, in Caracas, the Venezuelan head of state expressed his vision to convert the zone into a vast residential area where current occupants of the capital’s shantytowns can enjoy dignified housing and a higher quality of life.

The president has also mentioned a similar project in the cities of Maracay and Barinas, and many of the agreements currently being signed by Chavez during his international trip to seven ally countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa have housing as a priority.

Collaboration on housing with Russian and Belarusian firms has already been solidified and further agreements are being planned with Iran.