Venezuela utility crisis: Gas prices surge and water shortages persist

Residents in Venezuela are facing severe utility crises in the states of Monagas and Anzoátegui. In Monagas, the company Gasmaca has implemented massive price increases for domestic gas cylinders. Over the past year, costs for various cylinder sizes have risen between 18 and 22 times their previous values. For example, a 10 kg cylinder rose from 75 to 1,566 bolívares. Local communities report that organized communal councils have had to assume logistical duties, including collection and delivery, as the economic impact worsens against a stagnant national minimum wage.

Simultaneously, in the Libertad municipality of Anzoátegui, a critical water shortage has forced residents to rely on expensive cistern services. In rural areas like El Carito, a single drum of water can cost up to 3 US dollars. The crisis is exacerbated by inactive wells and broken infrastructure, such as the La Rocolita aquifer, which has left dozens of families without service. Some sectors report having been without piped water for up to a decade, leading to urgent calls for Hidroven to restore the supply.