Caracas Chronicles

#NowWhatVenezuela keeps you informed about what’s happening deep inside la patria—from headline-making events to underreported stories that provide the clearest picture of our reality. This digest is published weekly.

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A power crisis across the Andes and Western Venezuela

The Venezuelan government—except for public schools—will reduce working hours starting this week to cope with an electricity crisis primarily affecting the western part of the country. The five reservoirs supplying hydroelectric plants in the Andes, which provide 40% of the region’s electricity demand, are operating at minimum capacity. The government attributes this to what it calls a “climate emergency”—the global rise in temperatures affecting water levels. However, electrical expert José Aguilar told El Pitazo that the regime has overused reservoirs designed to function at maximum capacity for only six to eight hours a day, intended to supplement power from the Guri Dam.

“Blaming the climate is just an excuse to cover up their negligence,” Aguilar said. “They overused the reservoirs for more than 16 hours a day over nine months. What did they do? They drained them.”

In December, engineer Miguel Lara told Caracas Chronicles that the reservoirs in both the Andes and the Upper Caroní had recovered, but the government was operating them at full capacity. Meanwhile, the transmission system from the Guri Dam is overloaded and cannot compensate for the power shortfall in the western region.

Why it matters: El Carabobeño reports that the state of the reservoirs, worsened by drought in Venezuela, has led to power outages of up to 12 hours in Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, Barinas, and Apure. According to Efecto Cocuyo, Zulia has experienced blackouts lasting up to eight hours in February and March. In Lara, El Impulso reports that power fluctuations and outages reached 10 hours in some municipalities last week.

More details: Aguilar had access to internal documents detailing the severity of the power generation crisis in the Andes. Hydroelectric plants that supply the region are operating at only 47% capacity, while thermal plants are running at just 6%. To mitigate the crisis, the Maduro regime has issued a statement urging people to keep air conditioners above 23 degrees Celsius, make use of natural light, and unplug electrical devices when not in use.

Zulia oil workers demand answers after another fatal incident

Venezuela’s energy industry has suffered its fifth publicly known accident in the past year. On Tuesday, March 25, the oil barge Cristi Bay exploded in Lake Maracaibo, killing three workers and injuring at least six others. The vessel sank after the explosion and belonged to Servicios y Obras Sudamericana CA (Sosca), a PDVSA contractor that was involved in a similar incident six months ago. Last year, six Sosca workers died when another barge, the Chantise G, sank on September 26, 2024, in Lake Maracaibo.

The Zulia Oil Workers’ Union is calling for severe sanctions and a “transparent and thorough” investigation into Sosca, the Petrozamora joint venture, and North American Blue Energy Partners (Nabep), which has a stake in Petrozamora.

More information: According to Somos Noticias Col, workers are demanding an investigation into the true causes of the accident, “including equipment failures, negligence in safety protocols, or lack of preventive maintenance.” They are also calling for an audit of all contractors in Zulia’s oil industry, a review of all vessels operating in Lake Maracaibo, and an assessment of working conditions. Additionally, they are calling for fair compensation for the families of the deceased and psychological support for the survivors.

Recommended reads:

• Crónica Uno: How fishing activities and pollution hinder the protection of river dolphins in Lake Maracaibo and the Orinoco region.
• Runrunes: What you need to know about the Oropouche virus, which has now reached Venezuela and ten other countries in the Americas.
• Diario La Nación: Families and friends of two young migrants sent by the Trump administration to El Salvador protest in two municipalities of Táchira.
• Efecto Cocuyo: The parallel dollar exchange rate reaches 100 Bs after dropping 40% in 2025 alone.