Venezuelan Labor Day Demonstrations

A demonstration called by a labor union critical of the government of Nicolás Maduro for Workers' Day was marked by altercations with supporters of the ruling Chavismo on motorcycles.

The demonstration had been called by the Confederation of Venezuelan Workers and other union organizations demanding a minimum wage of at least 200 dollars, 57 times more than the current 3.50.

The minimum wage - frozen two years ago - is complemented by a food bonus or other extra bonuses that bring the basic monthly income to about $100. The cost of the food basket exceeds 500.

The unions have also criticized this bonus policy.

The Chavismo ruler also called a demonstration in the center of Caracas, with the Miraflores presidential palace as the destination. There she will be received by President Nicolás Maduro, who is seeking his re-election in the elections scheduled for July.

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, kept the minimum wage frozen, equivalent to less than 4 dollars a month, after announcing an increase focused solely on a state bonus, from 60 to 90 dollars, which does not affect social benefits.

"Today I have decided to raise the minimum comprehensive income of workers to 130 dollars," said Maduro in an assembly with oil industry workers in Caracas, after participating in a march called by the ruling Chavismo for International Workers' Day.

The "comprehensive minimum income", as the socialist ruler has called it, consists of the minimum wage of 3.50 dollars, plus 40 dollars of a food voucher and now another 90 of the so-called "Economic War Bonus", created under the argument to counteract the effect of United States sanctions against Venezuela.

That last bonus applies to the 5.5 million public sector workers in this country of 30 million inhabitants.