Venezuela Crisis: Homelessness and hunger widespread in capital

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Europe

03:05

Years of economic hardship have led to an increase in homelessness in Venezuela. Food is scarce, and many citizens struggle to provide even the most basic nutrition for their families. Correspondent Juan Carlos Lamas looks at what it's like to be homeless and hungry in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

They line up once a week, hoping to get a ticket to exchange for their first meal of the day, sometimes their first meal in several days.

The volunteers have a limited number of tickets to give out and pregnant women, children, and the elderly are given priority.

FATHER GASPERE SALERNO EL ROSAL CHURCH "Just a couple of years ago it was almost impossible to see someone living in the streets. Not anymore. In the last three years the number of homeless people has exponentially increased."

Three years ago, Gaspere Salerno created a program at the Catholic church where he's a priest to help feed people who live on the streets of Caracas.

FATHER GASPERE SALERNO EL ROSAL CHURCH "The majority of people living in the streets are normal people -- people who could not keep up with the economic crisis and ended up living in the streets."

Father Gaspere says the program depends on donations from parishioners and he says it's helped feed more than 54 thousand people over the past year alone.

HUGO BARRETO HOMELESS VENEZUELAN "They are providing us significant support. It makes us feel good to know there are still good people who will help us eat."

The homeless of Caracas sleep on the street, under bridges, in parks, or in front of grocery stores with little protection from the elements.

JUAN CARLOS LAMAS CARACAS "According to the latest Survey on Living Conditions in Venezuela, conducted by the country's leading universities, more than 60 percent of all Venezuelans now live in extreme poverty. It's a shocking number -- that's ballooned from under a quarter of citizens found to be extremely poor - just four years ago."

And experts say the daily struggle to survive is taking a huge emotional toll.

RAMON PINANGO SOCIOLOGIST "A sense of pessimism is being created, not only for those who the terrible economic crisis forced to live in the streets, but also for those who think this will only get worse and feel hopeless about it."

According to the Survey on Living Conditions, only one in 10 Venezuelans can afford enough food each day for a healthy diet.

For the hundreds of homeless people who line up for a meal ticket at El Rosal each week, the food provides some sustenance to continue fighting adversity even as they live life on the streets. Juan Carlos Lamas, CGTN, Caracas.