In the first day of higher gasoline prices in Venezuela, it’s hard to say who’s more confused. The attendants at the pump? Or the drivers. The good news is that there’s visibly more gasoline being pumped from fuel stations in the capital Caracas than in the previous weeks and months. The bad news is that lines are still miles-long and if you’re lucky enough to get to the front, many stations are facing problems accepting bank card transactions or scanning special cards meant for subsidies.
Motorcyclists wait in line at a PDVSA gas station as soldiers stand guard in Caracas on June 1.
“I’ve been here since 4 a.m, and hope to fill with subsidized gasoline,” said Marcos Rojas, an engineer at a station in Southeastern Caracas. He was the first in line at 7 a.m. and the station, secured by police and the pro-government militia, hadn’t opened.
The manager was waiting for instructions from state-run energy company PDVSA on how to work the different payment methods. “I haven’t received any information from them and I have over 200 drivers waiting in line,” he said, asking for anonymity out of fears of reprisal. In a nearby closed station, lines extended for over a mile, spilling into a highway. Supply was promised for later when military personnel in charge of the area authorized it. Adding to the agglomerations is the fact that Venezuela’s coronavirus quarantine is being relaxed for the first time in several months on Monday.
In stations where people were able to fill up and pay, some walked into convenience stores to use the card machines while others paid in cash, at times with dollar bills.