Lights Out: Venezuela's Blackouts
Magdalena Paúl and Clara Paúl
CARACAS—It was March 8th, 2019. It seemed like any other typical Thursday afternoon- as normal as they got in Venezuela; and although the country's political situation has been chaotic since the start of the Chavez regime, the tension had only increased exponentially since January. When the clock struck 5 in the afternoon, the whole nation plunged into darkness- disturbing the life of 31 million Venezuelans who had no idea about the hardships they were yet to face. In a country that has been withstanding an ongoing crisis for over 20 years, blackouts were not out of the ordinary, but they usually tended to last 1 or 2 hours. Famous for their optimist and humorous attitude, Venezuelans just used this situation as an excuse to gather around listening to the radio and playing card games; for onlookers, this sight could have been almost comical, a scene taken straight out of a 1950´s film. However, as the day turned into night, reality started to kick in, and the severity of the situation became clear - we were in it for the long haul.
Living a life where food shortages, water scarcity, hyperinflation and a lack of medical attention are a daily burden, citizens already face an uncertain future, living one day at a time and struggling to make ends meet. As the hours turned into days, the whole twenty-four states were left wondering how long they would be left in the dark. Although this circumstance did not discriminate, those suffering the worst of the consequences were the poorest class, which meant 90% of the population. As a means to survive, they were forced to do unimaginable things in order to adapt, including showering and gathering water from the most polluted river in the country- the Guaire River. On the flip side, the wealthy were also suffering the consequences of the blackout; however, while atrocious, to a lesser degree.
For everyone, it was a game of sacrifice, a matter of compromising. Searching for solutions, those who could afford it fled to expensive hotels with power plants in order to escape the tragedy. However, the worst consequence that this circumstance brought was the mass loss of communication, a true tragedy of the 21st century. This meant complete isolation, especially in a society where most family members have already been torn apart. To those living abroad, not knowing if their family members were safe was a nightmare; but worst of all, was the feeling of impotence, knowing there was absolutely nothing they could do except wait it out and hope for the best.
The blackouts not only meant a lack of electricity; they meant no running water, food perishing inside refrigerators with no way to cook it, no signal or Wi-Fi, therefore, leading to complete isolation, schools, universities, banks, hospitals, and businesses closed for weeks, and no basic services- all of this in an already collapsed country. On the first day, 15 newborns died in the NICU, and patients on life-support and those in need of dialysis faced certain death. One mother's worst nightmare was realized when she was denied medical assistance for her severely malnourished 19-year-old daughter, who weighed only 10 kg. Her daughter later died in her arms as she was looking for help elsewhere, and after being denied entrance to multiple hospitals; she was forced to drop her daughter ́s lifeless body at the morgue.
The Blackout brought a new sense of responsibility among the people, especially in children. While we could not attend school for a month, we were forced to deal with unfamiliar tasks, often associated with those during wartimes. We were compelled to carry heavy water-filled tubs up multiple flights of stairs in order to brush our teeth and eat dinners consisting of salted crackers and canned tuna. However, what was most shocking was the sensation of complete loneliness that hit you as soon as you set foot on the street; our once bustling city was now a ghost town.
This tragedy marked a before and after in the minds of Venezuelans. Even though the blackout occurred over six months ago, it is something that simply cannot be forgotten. With every flicker of a light bulb, Venezuelans unconsciously flinch, painfully remembering the time where they spent a month submerged in complete and total darkness. However, despite the entire trauma the blackout brought, it instilled newfound solidarity within the community. While Venezuelans have always been known for their generosity and selflessness, this situation brought a new meaning to the word neighbor, and ultimately helped us come out stronger and closer to each other from an experience meant to tear everybody apart.