Convite warns over 73,000 elderly in La Guaira face critical situation after earthquakes

The civil association Convite has warned that more than 73,000 elderly residents in Venezuela's La Guaira state are in a critical situation after earthquakes on June 24. The tremors caused many to lose their sources of income and economic support, particularly in the most affected areas.

Luis Francisco Cabezas, Convite's director general, detailed the demographic impact on seniors during an interview with Unión Radio. He noted that older adults constitute 24% of the total population that has received some form of assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "This figure is very high when compared to the aid provided through humanitarian response plans," Cabezas stated.

These 73,000 individuals are part of a larger group of approximately 700,000 people affected by the seismic events. This number is in addition to the more than five million citizens who already required humanitarian assistance before the earthquakes.

In response to this crisis, Cabezas emphasized the urgent need for a targeted census. This census would help identify the exact number of seniors who lost all or part of their businesses or productive initiatives. The goal is to create tailored economic recovery programs. "We need to see how we can support them with micro-enterprises, micro-credits, some form of seed capital, and the recovery of lost supplies to reactivate their economy," he explained.