Workers employed by “basic companies” in Guayana (huge government minining, steel and aluminum conglomerates in southern Venezuela) have experienced different “phases” in their work activities in recent years.
Pableysa Ostos / Correspondent lapatilla.com
They have been classified as “non-required personnel”, have suffered persecution, aggression, and to that is added the precariousness in working conditions in terms of security, medical care, among other things.
But now a new complaint has been made by the workers, specifically by those of the Siderúrgica del Orinoco (Sidor, Venezuela’s government run iron and steel conglomerate) located in the state of Bolívar in the south of the country.
One of the workers contacted by the lapatilla.com team admits that “there is a lot of secrecy, the workers don’t dare to speak up. They are even afraid to send any photos. Any photos, any videos from inside the plant (iron works).”
But another worker confirmed the situation, the new “phase” in which the steelworkers have been deployed.
“They called a group of workers from Sidor, as well as from other basic companies, to remodel some prisons in the center of the country, in Maracay and Caracas.”
These penitentiary centers to which the union leader refers are the Aragua Penitentiary Center, known as Tocorón, and the El Rodeo Judicial Internment Center.
“The information I have is that they are paying $500 a week, $500 a week to do that work. That was a proposal made by the Sidor management inside the plant to some workers. Some refused, others decided to go and are currently providing this type of service in the remodeling and rearrangement of some penitentiary centers,” the worker added.
On August 2nd, Nicolás Maduro reported that they are preparing two maximum security prisons to house Venezuelans arrested during the protests that took place in the country after the presidential elections.
“I am preparing two prisons that I must have ready in 15 days, they are already being repaired,” said Maduro in an event broadcast by the state TV broadcaster VTV.
In his speech he added: “All the guarimberos (protesters) are going to Tocorón and Tocuyito, maximum security prisons,” he said in relation to two prisons that were for years under the control of criminal gangs until they were occupied by the state security forces last year.
Fear of speaking
The union leader admitted that there is a lot of fear on the part of the workers. “What happens is that the boys say it and, out of terror, they do not write anything on the phones. This information was given to me via WhatsApp through a call.”
He admitted that the workers are afraid of passing on any information, because “anyone who gives out information through their phone is at risk of losing their freedom as well.”
“All Sidor workers have their phones monitored in a situation room that Sidor has to listen to any call or message sent by the workers that is allusive in reference to any complaint about the bad things that are happening inside the works and the reality of the industrial park in terms of production.”