Zulia Governor faces protests over power outages and oil spills

Citizens in Zulia, Venezuela, protested in front of Governor Luis Caldera’s official residence to demand solutions for increasingly frequent and prolonged electricity outages. Demonstrators reported daily blackouts lasting between 6 and 12 hours, with some residents claiming their sectors have been without power for 16 days. Protesters criticized the disparity in service, noting that the governor’s residence appears to maintain constant electricity while local communities suffer.

Separately, Governor Caldera addressed recent oil spills in Lake Maracaibo, attributing the leaks to damage caused by severe storms and high winds on August 23. He stated that a contingency plan involving PDVSA, the Governor’s office, and the Institute for the Control and Conservation of the Lake Maracaibo Basin (Iclam) has been activated. Cleanup efforts are reportedly underway in the coastal areas of Maracaibo, San Francisco, and Mara, alongside water sampling for chemical analysis.