LOS PALOS BLANCO, VENEZUELA – The atmosphere was unusually somber today in Los Palos Blanco, a small Venezuelan community located just hours from Caracas. The normally bustling town was hit hard last week by the closure of its top employer, a cocaine factory, which provided jobs to 75% of its citizens.
“It’s going to be a ghost town pretty soon,” said Ronaldo Davalos, 63, who has worked in the plant for 48 years, a tradition which runs three generations in his family. “Without the cocaine, I don’t know what I will do. There are no more honest jobs these days for hardworking people like me.”
Citizens have been rallying together in efforts to obtain government aid and save the company, but to little avail. The Venezuelan government has been giving the workers a cold shoulder. They now hope to gain attention from the international community.
Image: The Beaverton with portions licenced by (top) DepositPhotos.com / Komar & (bottom) Agência Brasil / Wikipedia / (CC BY 3.0)
“What people need to know is how this is going to have repercussions worldwide,” said Ernesto De Silva, head organizer for the Cocaine Egales Trabajo campaign. “Think about it. Farmers in Bolivia will receive lower orders for cocaine leaves. You have delivery boys, dealers, and middlemen all over the U.S. that are going to be paying a much higher premium now for cocaine that isn’t necessarily as good.”
“Also, a lot of people don’t think about the assassins, and street peddlers and drug mules who are also going to lose their jobs. This is bad for everyone.”
The global community was quick to react to the plant closure. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon publicly voiced his concern for the cocaine workers.
“These are hard workers providing a valuable service not only to their community, but to all of the developed world,” Ki-moon said. “Without cocaine, Hollywood screen writers, ad executives, and even line cooks will be unable to function. This is indeed an event that will affect us all. We hope that Mr. Chávez will do the right thing.”
Despite the public outcry, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías said he will not consider overturning the decision to close the mine.
“As much as it pains me, the mine in question had many, many infractions against it,” Chávez said. “It adhered poorly to zoning laws and lacked proper fire exits. Don’t even get me started on their many electrical code violations. All of these problems have gone on for years, and their fines remain unpaid. We gave them plenty of warnings, so we had no choice left in the matter.”
Yet plant owners say it was impossible to pay fines in light of lower global demand, coupled with inflation and the need to pay fair wages to employees.
“The plant is very much a family affair,” plant owner, David Charney, told reporters. “All our employees enjoyed well above average salaries, and they benefited from dental and health plans, along with a generous retirement package… and barely any executions or internal corruption. How could we do business any other way? The government is really hanging us out to dry here.”
with files by Keith Cochrane and Joel Buxton
