Pensioners’ protection law contributes to the dismantling of social security

Maribel Díaz, spokesperson for the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), explained that the Law for the Protection of Pensioners in the Face of the Imperialist Blockade “contributes to the dismantling of social security in our country.”

In a press conference, Diaz said that the administration of Nicolás Maduro, although it is in an early electoral campaign, “does not offer its voters any measures once morest the high cost of living, salary protection, social security protection and access to public services, rather it is going backwards.”

He explained that on May 1, “for the second consecutive year in Venezuela, the minimum wage was not adjusted, workers were left desperate with the announcement of the President of the Republic,” since only the bonus in labor benefits was increased and “with this measure what is achieved is the flexibility of labor relations in our country.”

He stressed that, in addition to that, on May 2, the National Assembly approved the Law for the Protection of Pensions in the Face of the Imperialist Blockade, which – he said – contributes to the dismantling of social security in our country” and “flagrantly evades the responsibility that the State assigns to social protection.”

He added that the Venezuelan Social Security Institute and “its role in social security are also unknown, but there is also no accountability regarding the funds that this institute has.”

“With this new law, companies will make contributions, but these contributions will not go to the social security fund, and by not going to the social security fund we weaken the country’s social security system,” he stressed.

He mentioned that the law “omits the concept of minimum living wage,” which is contemplated in article 91 of the constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

In response to this, the Communist Party of Venezuela called on active workers, retirees and pensioners to “fight for the social security system, not to be fooled by this law that violates the entire system, all the achievements of the workers.”

He also called for the rescue of the Venezuelan Social Security Institute and for “accounting for all the savings of all the workers who have contributed to social security for so many years” and for organizing to fight for the rescue of the country’s social security.