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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Economy & Trade

Universidad de Los Andes Operates on Less Than $1,000 Monthly Budget, Rector Denounces

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Universidad de Los Andes (ULA) in Venezuela operates on a monthly budget of less than $1,000, according to its rector.
  • Rector Mario Bonucci highlighted a significant budget deficit, receiving only 500,000 bolivars instead of the expected 162 million for 2026.
  • The severe lack of funds impacts student services and faculty maintenance, threatening academic quality.

The Universidad de Los Andes (ULA), a prominent Venezuelan university, is struggling to operate with a monthly budget of less than $1,000, its rector has revealed. This drastically insufficient funding severely compromises the basic needs of the institution.

Rector Mario Bonucci confirmed the substantial budgetary deficit, describing the situation as a major obstacle to the daily functioning of the university, which serves 22,500 students. He detailed a stark disparity between the university's requested resources and the meager amount transferred by the national government earlier this year. "For the Universidad de Los Andes in the year 2026, in January, we should have received 162 million bolivars and instead we received 500,000. This university of 22,500 students is working with less than $1,000 monthly," Bonucci stated.

For the Universidad de Los Andes in the year 2026, in January, we should have received 162 million bolivars and instead we received 500,000. This university of 22,500 students is working with less than $1,000 monthly.

— Mario BonucciThe rector of ULA detailing the severe budget deficit.

This scarcity of resources directly affects essential student services and the upkeep of various faculties. These areas urgently require investment to maintain the academic quality across the institution's different campuses. The rector also questioned the recent increase in the minimum wage decreed by the interim government, arguing that the university community expected a real salary increase, not an indexed minimum income through complementary assignments. "A bonus is not a salary. We fight for the re-institutionalization of salary," Bonucci emphasized.

Furthermore, Bonucci urged the university community to conduct the upcoming internal elections with "decency and transparency." He called for efforts to focus on management plans specifically designed for crisis periods. The rector stressed that ULA's continued operation is a testament to the daily efforts of its professors, employees, and workers.

A bonus is not a salary. We fight for the re-institutionalization of salary.

— Mario BonucciThe rector of ULA criticizing the government's salary increase approach.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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