The Venezuelan pensioners protested in front of the banking entities and blocked avenues demanding the payment of their pensions in cash, after Nicolás Maduro, announced that they could collect from this Saturday a part of the total payment.

Maduro said on Thursday that from this September 1 the pensioners would begin to charge 25% of the new amount of pensions, ie 450 sovereign bolivars (7 dollars according to the official rate), because due to the process of monetary reconversion that took five zeros to the currency and after the abrupt increase of the retirements, during this month the payment will be of fractioned form.

Maduro's announcement caused hundreds of grandparents to wake up making long lines in front of the agencies of the public and private banks that do not open their doors during the weekends.

"I feel disappointed because President Nicolás Maduro .. said that this Saturday was the day of payment and 7 and then 14," María Oliveros, 62, told Efe from a protest in downtown Caracas.

Oliveros also complained because he is a resident of the Venezuelan state of Cojedes (center) and traveled about four hours to the Venezuelan capital to collect the pension, as he claims that the bank in his region is ordered to charge for the ATM that does not understand how to use .

But in addition, pensioners ask to collect their pensions in cash because they assure that the prices of the products are higher if they are paid by bank transfer or debit card.

Among slogans like "Enough of deception, we want the pension" and signs in which you could read "there is hunger", some pensioners used debris to block avenues, while others were posted in the streets, with canes or crutches, singing the hymn national.

The protests that took place both in the east and west of Caracas, and according to local media in states such as Zulia (northwest) or Bolívar (south), have also caused the VTV state channel to call the retirees to calm by pointing out that the money is already in your accounts and that you can use it through debit cards or transfers.

Government responds

Tareck El Aissami, vice president for the Economic Area, blamed the media for manipulating information through the so-called "fake news".

He said on Saturday that the national government never announced that pensioners would charge the past September 1. He said that the grandparents already received 25% of the pension payment.

"They released false news, creating a false opinion matrix saying that the grandparents had to go on Saturday to collect the first payment of the pension but it is false. Already today the grandparents have their pension deposited and from Monday they can attend to collect it ".

Personal opinion

The notice of pension collection that would be made on the 1st of the month it runs if it was announced by Minister of Communication and information Jorge Rodriguez, total deception because it never happened because the banks do not have the necessary bills or maneuvers to cover the demand or required payments by pensioners. In the same way it happens with the rest of the population that suffer to obtain some money in cash, to diferncia of the population the subject pensionados is something of urgency to cover needs of health digase medicines or medical appointments.

Big problem is this a shattered economy and a Government that plays with the needs of its people.