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Venezuelan unions, govt. to hold talks

11 February 2011 00:00 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Public transportation workers will hold talks with the Venezuelan government over concerns ranging from road maintenance, security and costs, APA reports quoting Press TV.

Union leaders say they are concerned that the government might be trying to monopolize public transport.

They also want to talk about the fares. They argue that prices of spare parts have gone up by 30 percent, making it inevitable for them to raise ticket prices.

â€œFares are low while everything else has become too expensive. We have to pay a lot for spare parts,â€ a bus driver told Press TV.

Commuters argue that fuel prices are still low in Venezuela and many low-income families depend on public transport.

â€œI don’t agree in price hikes because it only serves the interests of transport companies. Price hikes will affect low-income commuters like me,â€ a commuter said.

The unions and transport companies are keen to work with the government to improve the efficiency of all modes of transport in Venezuela. But, they say they need extra funds.

â€œIn Latin America, Venezuela is a pioneer in the development of railway networks. Despite the economic crisis, the administration of President Chavez has continued to invest heavily in public transport,â€ the President of Subway Workers Union Edinson Alvarado stated.

Venezuela has a limited national railway system, which has no active rail connections to other countries. The government of Hugo Chavez has invested substantially in expanding it.

Several major cities have metro systems. The Caracas Metro has been operating since 1983. The Maracaibo Metro and Valencia Metro opened more recently. Venezuela also has a road network of around 100,000 kilometers.

In 1989, price hikes in public transportation led to a popular uprising, which led to the overthrow of President Carlos Andres Perez.