Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced a 50 per cent increase in the minimum wage, effective from 1 July, with the monthly minimum wage increasing from 65,021 to 97,531 bolivars. The salary increase will include public workers, teachers, doctors, firefighters, police officers and military personnel, among others. The President also raised the salary scales of other public administration workers in addition to an increase in food allowances, which went from 15 to 17 Tax Units.

Regulation of prices

Through the National Constituent Assembly, the President will also propose a law that allows for the regulation of prices and the application of legal action against speculators, stressing the importance of the fight against speculation and the need for legislation to control prices to put an end to the right-wing economic war that the Venezuelan people suffer.

'Protect and create useful and stable jobs'

At a commemorative event for the 14th anniversary of the Robinson Missio -Venezuela’s literacy and primary education program – Prersident Maduro said: ‘We need the constituent assembly to protect and create useful and stable jobs for the country and the Venezuelan family.’

Coup plots

He also urged people to be on alert for more coup plots. ‘I want to alert the people because the conditions are very different, the revolution then was on the defensive without social policies. Today is very different because since Commandante (Hugo) Chavez founded the missions, the people have had to defend them. Unlike in 2002, when the people defended a dream, today we defend a reality: the great missions.’