|
But now Leal, founder of the 'Feeding a Dream' charity, spends
her days feeding hungry and sometimes malnourished children in
Maracaibo, in Venezuela's oil-rich state of Zulia. And now she
is not so sure.
"I used to defend the revolution," Leal said. "(But) I got tired
of seeing people die of hunger."
Venezuela votes for its next president on July 28 - and the dire
straits in which many live will be top of people's minds.
Despite a recent economic recovery that has been much touted by
the Maduro government, many families are going hungry and
depending on aid to feed themselves.
"We've saved lives, we've seen the eyes of many children shine,
which is what is most fulfilling," said Leal, 47, while holding
Juan Camilo, a baby of three months, who is fed by the
foundation.
Over the last 10 years, gross domestic product in Venezuela has
declined by some 73%. Although Maduro relaxed currency controls
and other regulations to boost the economy in 2019, Venezuela
suffers the second-highest level of hunger in South America,
after Bolivia, according to the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization.
Some 5.1 million people out of close to 30 million are not
getting enough to eat, the UN says.
Venezuela's ministry of information did not immediately respond
to requests for comment. The government blames U.S sanctions for
the country's economic difficulties.
Each week, from Monday to Friday, Leal serves 200 lunches from
her garage to children in Maracaibo's western Altos de Milagro
Norte neighborhood, doling out soup, chicken and rice, cereals,
and more.
Each week, the charity, which is funded by donations from
advocacy groups, sees at least two cases of malnourished
children, she said.
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, hopes to win a third
term in July, running against opposition candidate Edmundo
Gonzalez, a former diplomat.
But as the election campaign gears up, Leal says she is staying
focused on one thing: the children.
"We've come bearing life, just by giving them hope, a meal that
they enjoy and makes them feel valuable," Leal said.
(Reporting by Mariela Nava; Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing
by Rosalba O'Brien)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
