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Gas deliveries resume in Venezuela's struggling Sucre state
Residents of Guaca, a fishing village in Venezuela's eastern Sucre state, gathered around rusted propane canisters this week as the first gas shipment in months arrived. Locals carried the heavy cylinders home under the scorching sun, highlighting persistent shortages in one of the country's poorest regions.
Daily hardships persist far from Caracas
Sucre, hundreds of kilometers from the capital, has seen little change since the U.S. detained President Nicolás Maduro on January 3 and restored ties with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez. While foreign investment and oil deals dominate discussions in Caracas, residents here question whether economic recovery will reach them-or curb migration and trafficking.
In Cumaná, Sucre's capital, running water has been unavailable for two weeks. The state government, still led by Maduro allies, attributes the outage to a pipeline damaged in last month's earthquake. However, locals argue the water supply has been unreliable for years due to chronic underinvestment.
Fuel shortages compound the crisis. Long queues stretch along highways as drivers wait hours for gasoline, a scarce resource despite Venezuela's vast oil reserves. Many cannot afford even subsidized prices.
Economic decline erodes livelihoods
Once among Latin America's most prosperous, Venezuelans now feel poorer than peers in neighboring countries. Fisherman Pablo Marín contrasts his earnings with those in Ecuador: "There, 100kg of fish earns $500, covers fuel, and leaves savings. Here, you need double that just to break even."
Inflation has decimated the bolívar, Venezuela's currency. Marín holds up a wad of bills: "Ten years ago, money had value. Now it's worthless." Businesses increasingly price goods in dollars, further squeezing locals paid in bolívars.
Guaca, a coastal village reliant on fishing, embodies Venezuela's broader collapse. Fisherwoman Yurmari Martínez recalls Sucre's potential two decades ago, when fish processing and exports thrived. Today, fuel shortages, underinvestment, and nationalizations have crippled the economy. Her 23-year-old son dropped out of university, convinced no degree can secure a future here.
"They feel studying is pointless because of Venezuela's situation,"
Yurmari Martínez, fisherwoman
Offshore gas projects offer limited hope
Shell recently secured licenses to develop the "Dragon" natural gas field, located between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. U.S. sanctions had delayed the project, but Maduro's removal paved the way for a deal signed during U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's visit this month.
While the gas will be processed in Trinidad for export, Shell claims Venezuelans will benefit. Christopher Sabatini, a senior fellow at Chatham House, notes such projects may create short-term jobs and cash injections. However, he warns long-term development depends on effective government reinvestment of revenues.
"Companies extract resources with foreign equipment and engineers, then leave. Local benefits are minimal,"
Christopher Sabatini, Chatham House
With the U.S. overseeing Venezuela's oil revenue, economists question how funds will be allocated. Omar Zambrano, chief economist at Anova Policy Research, cites 1990s oil investments that reduced poverty and improved education. But after 25 years of institutional decay under Chávez and Maduro, conditions are far less favorable.
Trafficking and despair in Güiria
Three hours east of Guaca, Güiria's potholed roads and lack of basic services reflect decades of neglect. Since September, U.S. forces have conducted strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing over 160 suspected drug traffickers-many from Güiria.
U.S. officials label the targets "narco-terrorists," but locals insist extreme poverty, not cartel ties, drove their relatives to transport drugs. Diannys, a mother of five whose husband died in an October strike, doubts such operations will deter desperation.
"People take risks to survive where there are no jobs. Some do it once for their family's future. It's not right, but what choice do they have?"
Diannys, Güiria resident
The brother of another victim, who requested anonymity, explains why his sibling turned to trafficking: "Work here doesn't pay. My brother fished and farmed, but went to Trinidad for better wages. Traffickers recruited him for his seafaring skills."
For $10,000-a fortune in Güiria-he took the risk. His brother earns $10 weekly, barely enough for three meals a day.
