Venezuelans desperate to feed their families are heading out to the open sea on inner tubes armed with a hook and line. It’s a risk they’re forced to take as the coronavirus lockdown paralyzed an already miserable economy and eliminated many jobs
Larry Jimenez, 34, inflates his inner tube in preparation for open sea fishing, at Playa Escondida in La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, amid the new coronavirus pandemic. Venezuelans like Jimenez have turned to fishing the high sea on salvaged inner tubes for survival as the nationwide lockdown paralyzes an already crumbling economy and eliminates their jobs in construction and restaurants.
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — The biggest fear is a fishhook puncturing the inner tube that keeps them afloat far from shore. Then come sharks grabbing their catch and maybe biting their legs. And the current that threatens to pull them out to sea. A small but growing number of people in the coastal town of La Guaira, just a few minutes from the capital of Caracas, have turned to the sea for substance since the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down the Caribbean nation’s already miserable economy. “If we had steady work, we wouldn’t risk our lives out there,” said Juan Carlos Almeida, who is accompanied by his fishing partner Eric Méndez. “We’re bricklayers, but there’s no construction.”Others who paddle out in small groups up to 5 miles from shore lost jobs in restaurants or shops catering to beachgoers. All the beaches are closed, but the workers still have hungry children at home in their hillside barrios. “If we don’t help ourselves and don’t go to work, who’s going to feed us?” said the 35-year-old Almeida. “Nobody.” The new coronavirus hit Venezuela in mid-March and the government ordered most businesses closed. The virus has steadily spread in the five months since. Officials say it’s killed fewer than 300 and sickened roughly 31,000. The nation remains largely paralyzed and commercial flights have been grounded at the the nation’s main airport in La Guaira. People have little hope life will return to normal anytime soon.Almeida and Méndez, 40, consider themselves experienced after spending a couple months entering the water on inner tubes. They make plastic hand paddles and wear flippers on their feet to propel them into the Caribbean. They’re quickly out of sight of those back on shore. They wear their extra fishhooks in the brim of their hats — away from the rubber and ready to grab. They drop fishing lines from a spool baited with sardines. The fishermen also bring rubber strips to improvise emergency patches just in case of an accidental puncture. When they catch a fish, they pull it in slowly to see whether a shark is following. They avoid drawing them in too close. Despite the risks, the fishermen say being at sea for several hours brings a calm. They’re far from the struggles of life on land — the growing coronavirus, economic crisis, hungry children and no work.They paddle back to shore against the currents. It’s tiring. Then they walk several miles home, barefoot and carrying their catch in a yellow, blue and red backpack the government gives schoolchildren. Their inner tube rests on one shoulder. This was a good day, and they pulled in enough fish to feed their families and share some with neighbors for a week. The rest they sell for a few dollars. “If we can’t work, where do we go?” said Méndez, a husband and father with two children. “God gave us this — the sea. So we go fishing.”ADVERTISEMENT
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
L.A. County sues church for violating COVID-19 orders with indoor worship servicesEarlier, Grace Community Church in Sun Valley filed suit against state and county officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Read more »
Todd Gurley Lists L.A. Pad For $2.3 Mil, Waterfall and Basketball CourtTodd Gurley Lists L.A. Pad For $2.3 Mil, Waterfall Slide and Basketball Court
Read more »
California megachurch sues L.A. county to hold indoor services, and L.A. county sues backA California megachurch and state and local officials in Los Angeles County are locked in a legal battle over measures that prohibit large indoor gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more »
Harvey Weinstein’s Extradition To L.A. To Face Rape Charges Delayed, Again; Hearing Mired In Technical DifficultiesThe long road to getting Harvey Weinstein out West to face rape charges hit a new pothole today. Mired in technical difficulties and coronavirus restrictions today, the initial gathering before Eri…
Read more »
Fear and empathy at LA funeral home serving Black familiesThe calls kept coming. Desperate families said other funeral homes were not receiving people who died of coronavirus. Funeral home owner Candy Boyd decided she had to make it work: “It tugged at my heart strings'
Read more »
LA mayor embraces shift in COVID-19 testing strategy: simplicity and speedThe mayor of the second-largest U.S. city has joined a growing clamor among health experts and politicians for a radical shift in the nation's coronavirus testing strategy - from an emphasis on the utmost accuracy to a focus on speed and simplicity.
Read more »