The Archbishop of Ciudad Bolivar, His Exc. Mgr. Ulises Antonio Gutiérrez
Reyes, O. de M. complained that every day there are more and more
people rummaging in the garbage looking for food, because they have
nothing to put on their table."And we are not talking about homeless people or beggars, but of men, women and children looking for food", said Mgr. Gutierrez speaking to the local press.
The Archbishop stated that it is not a situation of a few, but there are hundreds of families in Ciudad Bolivar that have nothing to eat. Low wages and high food costs do not allow families to eat regularly.
"I recently met a gentleman who was looking for food in the garbage, and chatting with him he told me he works, but his salary does not allow him to feed his children", said Mgr. Gutierrez, who also noted that the number of people who beg on the streets has increased.
"Many people arrive in the archbishopric every day in search of food and medicine", he said, now the archbishopric has become a point of exchange and distribution of medicines. Caritas Venezuela has so far been able to cope with the lack of health remedies, "but there are more and more people in search of drugs".
The government does not want to see this situation, said the Archbishop, while the Catholic community began the campaign "Share" on Ash Wednesday destined to bring food to the poor in parishes: "In one of our parishes up to 600 meals a day are distributed".
In conclusion Mgr. Gutierrez said that the Venezuelan people do not deserve to live like this, being a country with so many resources, "I think this government is administering the resources and wealth of the country in a very bad manner", he commented.