Vehicule census in Venezuela is a viable solution?

Driving in Venezuela is nearly impossible because the 92 tankers are stuck,

broken at the pump without its replacement parts. Civilians have to make a
queue of 5 or 6 (average) just to get gasoline.

Although Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on the planet, faltering
infrastructure has led to a steep drop in production. The us energy information (EIA)
predicts that the oil production could fall to 1m barrels per day this year, and again to
700,000 for December of 2019.

Not so long ago, business was booming for Alexis Álvarez, who has been a taxi driver in
Caracas for nearly two decades. Nowadays, amid an economic crisis that has pushed
ordinary food out of the reach of many Venezuelans – he is struggling to make ends meet.
“Just changing the engine oil will cost me 120m bolivars,” said Alvarez, adding that he had
lost so many clients that his earnings no longer covered routine maintenance of his silver
Chevrolet sedan. The country’s average income is 5m bolivars, which at the official rate is
approximately £31 ($41) – though very few people have access to that rate in practice and
resort to the black market, where they get about £1. Lisette Sánchez, a bus owner and
driver in Caracas, has not worked for over a month, while her bus sits on threadbare tyres
in a carpark. “I have no words to describe how I feel,” she said. “The tyres could blow at
any time; it could be dangerous for me and my passengers.” When parts are available,
they are prohibitively expensive. “A repaired tyre costs 450 million bolivars ($130 on the
black market) while a new one is a billion ($285),” Sánchez said. “A bus needs seven of
them – we would need years of work to pay for it.Transport union leaders estimate that in
just two years the country’s fleet of 280,000 passenger buses has dwindled to 30,000.

Now, the government is attempting to alleviate the fuel crisis with a nationwide census of
vehicles, and though officials have not been forthcoming with specific details, the
president, Nicolás Maduro, has said it will lead to “rational” fuel use. In order to register
their vehicles under the new census, which began last Friday, car owners must use a
government-issued “fatherland card” to log details and fuel consumption online, before
lining up at government offices to complete the process. “Like all the decisions Maduro has
taken since coming to power, the idea of the census is crazy” , “I think the census is a
mockery – a trap with political overtones”, “They want to gather electronic data on every
person so they have more control over citizens, and to blackmail those who oppose these
measures and the government.” , “I’m not even sure I’ll get one by the time I reach the
front of the queue,” she said, after five hours in the line. “If things continue like this, I’ll
have to walk everywhere.” These are some opinions from people in Venezuela.
Speaking personally, I think that the vehicle census isn’t a step towards authorithisim; this
could lead to a rational fuel use for this country. I mean, it is a viable solution, but it needs
more of them I case if one doesn’t go well because these problems make the public
transportation disappear. What about people without the economic resources in
Venezuela? (The majority), what about young people that has to go to their university or
go to their houses to late? Venezuela needs areal turning point in economy in this situation
and in the others that this country is going through.

Written by: Gabriela Zuñiga Lopez, 8C.