Economic challenges impact Venezuelan businesses in Lara and Georgia

Businesses in Lara, Venezuela, are reporting financial losses due to frequent electricity failures and scheduled six-hour daily blackouts. The Lara Chamber of Commerce noted that the outages most heavily impact the central and eastern sectors of Barquisimeto, which are key economic hubs. In response to the instability and a lack of official schedules from the state utility Corpoelec, some commercial sectors are seeking private financing to purchase electric generators to maintain operations.

In the United States, the Venezuelan Store Bakery & Deli in Georgia is closing after seven years of operation. The owners cited the difficult economic climate and increased immigration enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as primary reasons for the decision. The establishment had served as a community hub for Venezuelan migrants across Lawrenceville, Duluth, and Alpharetta.