Lara State faces transport and industrial crisis due to fuel and power shortages

The state of Lara, Venezuela, is facing a dual crisis of fuel shortages and frequent power outages that are severely impacting both the transportation and industrial sectors.

Transport workers report critical scarcity of gasoline, diesel, and gas. Geovanny Peroza, general secretary of the Automotor Union, noted that drivers must endure long waits and overnight vigils at service stations. The situation is exacerbated by electricity cuts lasting six to seven hours, which disrupt fueling processes and prevent workers from maintaining regular service schedules.

Simultaneously, the industrial sector is struggling with energy instability. Gil Lemos, president of the Chamber of Industrials of Lara, stated that power fluctuations and outages have affected 52% of the regional industrial sector in recent months. Business leaders are calling for increased investment in the national electrical system and hope for foreign capital participation to stabilize the grid and restore manufacturing productivity.