00:00Day-by-day economic activity is recurring after the double earthquakes.
00:04Belen de los Santos brings us a look at the current situation in the state of La Guayra.
00:10Alexander lives in Caraballeda, one of the areas of La Guayra most affected by the double earthquake.
00:16A few weeks ago, he reopened his shop.
00:19When we felt a little safer, we decided to come see how things had turned out.
00:23I decided to clean up, and the very next day, right after cleaning, I started opening again.
00:29Sales are still slow. Few have been able to return to business.
00:36Snacks, what we call chuterias here, soft drinks, cigarettes, things like that.
00:41That's what's selling the most right now.
00:46On this side, very few businesses are left, and, well, little by little, we're trying to get back to some
00:51sense of normalcy.
00:52It's very difficult trying to stabilize everything for ourselves, for our kids, so they can see that we have to
00:58keep moving forward.
01:00In businesses like Alexander's, the gradual return to activity depends on the support of suppliers.
01:09We're not pressuring our customers to pay us, no.
01:13Instead, we're supporting them by saying, if you need merchandise, I'll deliver it to you, and little by little, you
01:19can pay off your outstanding invoices.
01:22These gestures are a reminder that behind the supply chain are personal relationships shaped by tragedy.
01:30Our customers become our friends, you know, because it's the day-to-day, visiting them every single week.
01:36And you end up becoming friends with your customers.
01:39And obviously, whatever they lack, whatever happens to them, affects us.
01:43It affected me emotionally, sentimentally, and economically.
01:48In less affected areas, such as Maigatilla, the pace is different.
01:52Some businesses managed to reopen just days after the earthquakes, and today show significant activity.
01:58They continue to serve as a source of supplies for those affected, their families, and rescue workers.
02:07There are so many mixed emotions as well.
02:09We lost material things, we lost family members, and we've tried to maintain a good attitude, take care of our
02:14customers, and let them know they can count on us for anything.
02:18Every corner of La Guayra tells its own story.
02:21For Alexander, now more than ever, it is time to keep moving forward.
02:26Those of us who stayed, those of us who are still here, if God gave us this opportunity, is because
02:32I believe our mission is not over yet.
02:34Our mission is not over yet, in general. So we keep going.
02:38Right now, I would say, with even more determination, with even more strength.
02:42And I know we can do it. I know we're going to move forward.
02:45I know that step by step, we're going to move forward.
02:50On camera, Marcos Da Silva, Belen de los Santos, for Telesur English from La Guayra, Venezuela.
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