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The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Parched oil capital drills for water
A man filling a drum with water in the Cardoncito 2 neighbourhood in the Antonio Borjas community in Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela. In Venezuela's once prosperous oil capital, the electricity goes out for hours, there is no petrol and water is rationed for days at a time. — AFP IN Venezuela's oil capital of Maracaibo, a drilling frenzy has led to dozens of new wells – but the valuable liquid being pumped out is just water, not petroleum. In a symbol of the woes of Venezuela's crumbling economy, the once flourishing oil town of two million people is parched. Experts blame the nationwide shortage of drinking water on corruption and years of under-investment and mismanagement by national and local governments, resulting in frequent water cuts. The corroding infrastructure has led to schools, homes, businesses, churches and health centres all digging their own wells – at a huge expense. A private well costs between US$1,000 and US$6,000 (RM4,240 and RM25,480), a fortune in the sanctions-hit Caribbean country where the minimum monthly wage is around US$200 (RM849.50). As a result, homes that come with a ready-made well and generator – Venezuelans also live with recurring power cuts – sell for a premium. While water rationing has been in place in Venezuelan cities for years, the situation in Maracaibo has become critical, as pumping stations break down, old pipes leak and reservoirs run dry. No water came out of the taps in certain parts of the city for over a month at the start of this year. Manuel Palmar and six other families in the lower-middle-class neighbourhood of Ziruma saw the writing on the wall four years ago. They each paid US$2,500 to build a 12m-deep well, which can store up to about 80,000 litres of spring water each week. Now when Palmar turns on the tap, water gushes out for free. The water is not fit for drinking due to its high salinity – saltwater from the Caribbean Sea seeps into Lake Maracaibo, a coastal lake used as a freshwater source – but 'it's perfect for washing clothes and flushing toilets', he explained. 'It's a blessing!' the 34-year-old accountant said. There's a solution of sorts for every budget. Some residents fill 200-litre drums at official filling stations or communal taps for US$2-US$3 (RM8.40-RM12.70). Others order a water truck to fill their building's tank for between US$40 and US$60 (RM169.90 and RM254.80). Some even recycle the water produced by the tropical city's ubiquitous air conditioners or collect rainwater. But those are all quick fixes. Over the past six years, more and more residents have begun digging wells to guarantee their long-term supply for the future. Gabriel Delgado has built about 20 wells in Maracaibo, including at a heart disease clinic and four private schools. He also built one at his mother-in-law's home: a grey cement cylinder, one and a half metres in diameter, buried under metal sheeting and rocks. Cobwebs dangle just above the water level, but as soon as he activates the pump, water pours forth. It's crystal clear, unlike the yellowish liquid that flows from the city's taps during the rainy season, and Delgado eagerly sips it. Venezuelans must receive authorisation from health and environmental authorities before drilling a well, and they are required to provide water samples for testing to ensure it is fit for consumption once it's built. But not everyone bothers. Javier Otero, head of Maracaibo's municipal water department, said he had come across shallow artisanal wells built near sewers or polluted ravines. 'Some people drink water that is not potable, that is brackish,' he said. The municipality has built seven wells to supply Maracaibo's poorer neighbourhoods. — AFP
Kuwait Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Drilling for water in Venezuela's parched oil town
MARACAIBO, Venezuela: In Venezuela's oil capital of Maracaibo, a drilling frenzy has led to dozens of new wells—but the valuable liquid being pumped out is just water, not petroleum. In a symbol of the woes of Venezuela's crumbling economy, the once flourishing oil town of 2 million people is parched. Experts blame the nationwide shortage of drinking water on corruption and years of underinvestment and mismanagement by national and local governments, resulting in frequent water cuts. The corroding infrastructure has led to schools, homes, businesses, churches and health centers all digging their own wells—at a huge expense. A private well costs between $1,000 and $6,000, a fortune in the sanctions-hit Caribbean country where the minimum monthly wage is around $200. As a result, homes that come with a ready-made well and generator—Venezuelans also live with recurring power cuts—sell for a premium. While water rationing has been in place in Venezuelan cities for years, the situation in Maracaibo has become critical, as pumping stations break down, old pipes leak and reservoirs run dry. No water came out of the taps in certain parts of the city for over a month at the start of 2025. Manuel Palmar and six other families in the lower-middle-class neighborhood of Ziruma saw the writing on the wall four years ago. They each paid $2,500 to build a 12-meter-deep (40-foot) well, which can store up to about 80,000 liters (21,000 gallons) of spring water each week. Now when Palmar turns on the tap, water gushes out for free. The water is not fit for drinking due to its high salinity—saltwater from the Caribbean Sea seeps into Lake Maracaibo, a coastal lake used as a freshwater source—but 'it's perfect for washing clothes and flushing toilets,' he explained. 'It's a blessing!' the 34-year-old accountant said. There's a solution of sorts for every budget. Some residents fill 200-liter drums at official filling stations or communal taps for $2-$3. Others order a water truck to fill their building's tank for between $40 and $60. Some even recycle the water produced by the tropical city's ubiquitous air conditioners or collect rainwater. But those are all quick fixes. Over the past six years, more and more residents have begun digging wells to guarantee their long-term supply for the future. Gabriel Delgado has built about 20 wells in Maracaibo, including at a heart disease clinic and four private schools. He also built one at his mother-in-law's home: a gray cement cylinder, one and a half meters in diameter, buried under metal sheeting and rocks. Cobwebs dangle just above the water level, but as soon as he activates the pump, water pours forth. It's crystal clear, unlike the yellowish liquid that flows from the city's taps during the rainy season, and Delgado eagerly sips it. Venezuelans must receive authorization from health and environmental authorities before drilling a well, and they are required to provide water samples for testing to ensure it is fit for consumption once it's built. But not everyone bothers. Javier Otero, head of Maracaibo's municipal water department, told AFP that he had come across shallow artisanal wells built near sewers or polluted ravines. 'Some people drink water that is not potable, that is brackish,' he told AFP. The municipality has built seven wells to supply Maracaibo's poorer neighborhoods. — AFP
Int'l Business Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Drilling For Water In Venezuela's Parched Oil Town
In Venezuela's oil capital of Maracaibo, a drilling frenzy has led to dozens of new wells -- but the valuable liquid being pumped out is just water, not petroleum. In a symbol of the woes of Venezuela's crumbling economy, the once flourishing oil town of 2 million people is parched. Experts blame the nationwide shortage of drinking water on corruption and years of underinvestment and mismanagement by national and local governments, resulting in frequent water cuts. The corroding infrastructure has led to schools, homes, businesses, churches and health centers all digging their own wells -- at a huge expense. A private well costs between $1,000 and $6,000, a fortune in the sanctions-hit Caribbean country where the minimum monthly wage is around $200. As a result, homes that come with a ready-made well and generator -- Venezuelans also live with recurring power cuts -- sell for a premium. While water rationing has been in place in Venezuelan cities for years, the situation in Maracaibo has become critical, as pumping stations break down, old pipes leak and reservoirs run dry. No water came out of the taps in certain parts of the city for over a month at the start of 2025. Manuel Palmar and six other families in the lower-middle-class neighborhood of Ziruma saw the writing on the wall four years ago. They each paid $2,500 to build a 12-meter-deep (40-foot) well, which can store up to about 80,000 liters (21,000 gallons) of spring water each week. Now when Palmar turns on the tap, water gushes out for free. The water is not fit for drinking due to its high salinity -- saltwater from the Caribbean Sea seeps into Lake Maracaibo, a coastal lake used as a freshwater source -- but "it's perfect for washing clothes and flushing toilets," he explained. "It's a blessing!" the 34-year-old accountant said. There's a solution of sorts for every budget. Some residents fill 200-liter drums at official filling stations or communal taps for $2-$3. Others order a water truck to fill their building's tank for between $40 and $60. Some even recycle the water produced by the tropical city's ubiquitous air conditioners or collect rainwater. But those are all quick fixes. Over the past six years, more and more residents have begun digging wells to guarantee their long-term supply for the future. Gabriel Delgado has built about 20 wells in Maracaibo, including at a heart disease clinic and four private schools. He also built one at his mother-in-law's home: a gray cement cylinder, one and a half meters in diameter, buried under metal sheeting and rocks. Cobwebs dangle just above the water level, but as soon as he activates the pump, water pours forth. It's crystal clear, unlike the yellowish liquid that flows from the city's taps during the rainy season, and Delgado eagerly sips it. Venezuelans must receive authorization from health and environmental authorities before drilling a well, and they are required to provide water samples for testing to ensure it is fit for consumption once it's built. But not everyone bothers. Javier Otero, head of Maracaibo's municipal water department, told AFP that he had come across shallow artisanal wells built near sewers or polluted ravines. "Some people drink water that is not potable, that is brackish," he told AFP. The municipality has built seven wells to supply Maracaibo's poorer neighborhoods. Venezuela, one of the wealthiest countries in Latin America between the 1950s and early 1980s, is now among the poorest in the region AFP To avoid forking out huge sums of money on water, many families and businesses have taken to digging a well, sometimes without proper authorizations AFP
France 24
28-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
Drilling for water in Venezuela's parched oil town
In a symbol of the woes of Venezuela's crumbling economy, the once flourishing oil town of 2 million people is parched. Experts blame the nationwide shortage of drinking water on corruption and years of underinvestment and mismanagement by national and local governments, resulting in frequent water cuts. The corroding infrastructure has led to schools, homes, businesses, churches and health centers all digging their own wells -- at a huge expense. A private well costs between $1,000 and $6,000, a fortune in the sanctions-hit Caribbean country where the minimum monthly wage is around $200. As a result, homes that come with a ready-made well and generator -- Venezuelans also live with recurring power cuts -- sell for a premium. While water rationing has been in place in Venezuelan cities for years, the situation in Maracaibo has become critical, as pumping stations break down, old pipes leak and reservoirs run dry. 'It's a blessing' No water came out of the taps in certain parts of the city for over a month at the start of 2025. Manuel Palmar and six other families in the lower-middle-class neighborhood of Ziruma saw the writing on the wall four years ago. They each paid $2,500 to build a 12-meter-deep (40-foot) well, which can store up to about 80,000 liters (21,000 gallons) of spring water each week. Now when Palmar turns on the tap, water gushes out for free. The water is not fit for drinking due to its high salinity -- saltwater from the Caribbean Sea seeps into Lake Maracaibo, a coastal lake used as a freshwater source -- but "it's perfect for washing clothes and flushing toilets," he explained. "It's a blessing!" the 34-year-old accountant said. There's a solution of sorts for every budget. Some residents fill 200-liter drums at official filling stations or communal taps for $2-$3. Others order a water truck to fill their building's tank for between $40 and $60. Some even recycle the water produced by the tropical city's ubiquitous air conditioners or collect rainwater. But those are all quick fixes. Brackish drinking water Over the past six years, more and more residents have begun digging wells to guarantee their long-term supply for the future. Gabriel Delgado has built about 20 wells in Maracaibo, including at a heart disease clinic and four private schools. He also built one at his mother-in-law's home: a gray cement cylinder, one and a half meters in diameter, buried under metal sheeting and rocks. Cobwebs dangle just above the water level, but as soon as he activates the pump, water pours forth. It's crystal clear, unlike the yellowish liquid that flows from the city's taps during the rainy season, and Delgado eagerly sips it. Venezuelans must receive authorization from health and environmental authorities before drilling a well, and they are required to provide water samples for testing to ensure it is fit for consumption once it's built. But not everyone bothers. Javier Otero, head of Maracaibo's municipal water department, told AFP that he had come across shallow artisanal wells built near sewers or polluted ravines. "Some people drink water that is not potable, that is brackish," he told AFP. The municipality has built seven wells to supply Maracaibo's poorer neighborhoods. © 2025 AFP
Time Out
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This Miami restaurant just ranked among the best pizza in the world
Miami's pizza scene has officially hit the world stage. La Natural, the beloved Little River pizzeria known for its funky vibes and sourdough pies, just landed at No. 35 on The Best Pizza Awards 2025 —the only Florida spot to crack the global top 50. The honor caps a remarkable journey for Venezuelan-born Javier Ramirez, a former corporate-finance exec who traded spreadsheets for sourdough. After launching Miami favorites like Alter and Palmar, Ramirez returned to a more personal passion: backyard pizza nights with his wife and creative partner, Andreina Matos. 'I started in my backyard. Every week I'd try a different flour ratio, a different method, until I came up with what we have today,' he told Resy earlier this year. That process evolved into La Natural, where each pie begins with a 48-hour naturally fermented dough that strikes the perfect balance between chew and char. Toppings skew both classic and playful—think basil-tomato, wild mushroom with parsley or burrata with chili oil—and pair perfectly with Matos's curated lineup of natural wines. '[Sourdough is] equal parts art, science and animal husbandry,' Ramirez said. 'You gotta pet it, feed it at the right time… it's like a science fair project.' But La Natural is more than just dough. Designed by Matos to evoke a breezy Mediterranean home, the space features a roll-up façade, ceiling fans and vinyl spinning Afrobeat and reggae. It's casual, convivial and always packed. Add in seasonal small plates from chef Diego Moya (of New York's Racines and Margot) and it's no wonder the restaurant also earned a spot in the Michelin Guide. This year's Best Pizza Awards ceremony—held in Milan, Italy on Wednesday, June 25—honored pizzaiolos from more than 30 countries. While Italian greats like Francesco Martucci and Franco Pepe topped the list, La Natural's inclusion underscores something bigger: World-class pizza doesn't have to come from Naples. Sometimes, it starts in a backyard in Miami.
