30% of children in Venezuela suffer from malnutrition, denounce two NGOs

Around 30% of children in Venezuela suffered from some type of malnutrition in 2020, more than half severely, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Venezuelan NGO Provea denounced in a report.

“Economic factors have caused a humanitarian emergency characterized not only by deep poverty, but also by food insecurity, child malnutrition and the emigration of more than six million Venezuelans.”, is indicated in the document released this Tuesday.

The report warns that poverty has risen in Venezuela from “exponential way”, until affecting 94.5% of the population in 2021 and denounced that “corruption networks” in the South American country absorb the funds that should be allocated to food production and distribution.

“Over the last six years, GDP has fallen by more than 80%, one of the most brutal contractions in the northern hemisphere, excluding countries immersed in armed conflict.”, indicated the authors, who add that the panorama worsens a “50% monthly hyperinflation chart”.

The 72-page document states that “lack of access to land, water and certain services contribute to food insecurity” and warns that the capacity to treat and distribute drinking water is undermined to 40% of its capacity in relation to 1998.

“Electricity production has fallen by 74%, which has caused 174,000 power outages during 2021, affecting 74.2% of the population”, is confirmed in the report of FIDH and Provea (Venezuelan Program of Education Action in Human Rights).

The energy shortage – it is added – has led 5.4 million people to cook based on the combustion of wood, instead of with gas.

The report also urges the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro to give “absolute priority” to the “food emergency” during the recently announced opening of negotiations with the opposition forces.