Sucre Business Group Demands Urgent Action on Water and Power Failures

Sucre state faces a critical juncture as business leaders demand immediate action on persistent water and electricity failures. Abelardo Kasabdji, president of Fedecámaras Sucre, issued an urgent plea to local and national authorities, highlighting a crisis that has gripped the region since late February.

The severe water shortage originated from a seismic event that caused the collapse and obstruction of the Guamacán diversion tunnel. This incident disrupted the regular flow of water from the Turimiquire system, leaving many communities with insufficient supply. Kasabdji expressed frustration over what he described as a "total lack of information" from the regional government, stating that technical proposals from the private sector have been ignored. "Unfortunately, with our water problem, we have total misinformation from the regional executive. We have tried to send letters, we have offered professionals, we have given them the solution to the problem, and they pay us no mind. Unfortunately, the state of Sucre loses, tourism loses, industry loses, and even the people lose because water is vital for coexistence," Kasabdji stated in an interview with Unión Radio.

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Unfortunately, with our water problem, we have total misinformation from the regional executive. We have tried to send letters, we have offered professionals, we have given them the solution to the problem, and they pay us no mind. Unfortunately, the state of Sucre loses, tourism loses, industry loses, and even the people lose because water is vital for coexistence.

He further detailed that the distribution schedules implemented by the state water company, Hidrocaribe, are inadequate and unfair. Some areas receive water only twice a week, others four times, and some communities lack regular piped supply. To address this, Fedecámaras Sucre has contacted the Italian construction firm that installed the main pipeline in the 1990s to explore rehabilitation plans. Kasabdji believes these experts can rebuild the critical infrastructure if given the opportunity.

The state's electricity crisis is equally dire, with urban areas experiencing four-hour blackouts and the Paria Peninsula and Carúpano facing up to eight-hour outages. Kasabdji attributed the worsening situation to the relocation of strategic power generation components to other states. He cited the example of a thermoelectric plant in Cumaná, originally designed to supply Sucre and other regions, which has been operating at minimal capacity after key parts were moved to Zulia state. "Last year, a thermoelectric plant with two turbines that can supply electricity to all of Sucre state and other foreign states was taken away. That plant is in Cumaná operating at minimum capacity because important parts were taken to support Zulia, meaning they strip one state to give it to another and leave them without power," Kasabdji explained.

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Last year, a thermoelectric plant with two turbines that can supply electricity to all of Sucre state and other foreign states was taken away. That plant is in Cumaná operating at minimum capacity because important parts were taken to support Zulia, meaning they strip one state to give it to another and leave them without power.