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Needy elderly migrants in Venezuela worry Portuguese government

The Portuguese Government today expressed concern about the situation of elderly emigrants residing in Venezuela and announced that it will increase the minimum amount from 30 to 45 euros to be allocated to the most needy cases.

Speaking to Lusa, on the sidelines of a visit to the Chacao market, in eastern Caracas, the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Berta Nunes, explained that, in addition to the increase, her objective is to listen to the complaints of the Portuguese in the country and study the reinforcement of support to those “who are in a vulnerable situation”.

“I had the opportunity to speak with people who work in this area at consulates. We agreed to make a memorandum on what needs to be changed, improved and accelerated, because there is also a problem of some delay here [na análise dos processos] that we want to reduce, ”said Berta Nunes.

The economic and social crisis in the country where around 300 thousand Portuguese and Portuguese descendants live has worsened in recent years and “there are Portuguese people in difficult situations”, admitted the Secretary of State, promising that the executive “is available to improve and expand the support it has been giving to associations and the community in general ”.

A “change to the values ​​of Social Support for the Needy Elderly (ASIC) has already been made, in order to reach more people”, which had a minimum value of 30 euros and has been frozen since 2008, explained the minister.

The “minimum value has gone up to 45 euros” and the process “is currently in the State Secretariat for Social Security, since the regulation is managed in a bipartite manner between the General Directorate for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities”.

“It will probably take a little more than this change that is now in its final approval,” he added.

On the visit to the market, Berta Nunes highlighted the presence of many Portuguese in the place and highlighted the social weight of emigrants in the economic fabric of Venezuela.

“The Portuguese who are here in Caracas, Venezuela, want to stay here and I was told that right now on this visit and want to contribute to the country’s development. They are a community that has always contributed and wants to continue to contribute, and that hopes to be able to continue working, ”said Berta Nunes.

In his opinion “it is an important message” that “has already been conveyed to him since he arrived” in Venezuela, on Saturday.

“Many Portuguese had to leave Venezuela, due to the crisis, and we will do everything to welcome them in the best possible way, but I also want to leave a message here that we will continue to accompany our community in Venezuela,” he said.

The Secretary of State also stressed that she will go to Venezuela “as often as necessary”, because it is “an entrepreneurial community that wants to stay here, that has its roots here” and the Government of Lisbon hopes that “the situation will evolve a favorable way so that they can continue to contribute to the country ”.

As for the support to those who returned to Portugal, in particular to Madeira, Berta Nunes said that she intends to study the situation.

“I already had the opportunity to say that I would like to go to Madeira soon and get a better understanding of the whole situation,” he said.

The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Berta Nunes, began a five-day visit to Venezuela on Saturday night, to contact local and Portuguese authorities in the towns of Caracas, Los Teques, Maracay and Valencia.

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