Venezuelans scour 汚染するd river for lost treasure, 生き残り

By Associated 圧力（をかける）

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CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Angel Villanueva waded into the dirty brown water of the Guaire River, the putrid channel snaking through Venezuela's 資本／首都, where he hoped to scavenge for a bit of treasure.

He raked his 手渡すs across the 底（に届く） of the shallow 水路, turning his 直面する away from the foul smell. Then he stood up, letting gravel and 激しく揺するs 落ちる through his fingers, scanning for an earring 支援, lost （犯罪の）一味s or any other bits of precious metal to cash in for food.

Scavenging と一緒に two others, Villanueva, 26, kept an 注目する，もくろむ on the dark clouds buffeting the mountains that surround Caracas. They could burst at any time, leaving him minutes to get out - or be washed away to his death.

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, Douglas scoops up mud from the bottom of the polluted Guaire River, in search of gold and anything valuable he can sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. Some stretches of the river smell of sewer while others emit a toxic odor of fuel, a stench that stays in ones nose for hours after leaving the water. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, Douglas scoops up mud from the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River, in search of gold and anything 価値のある he can sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. Some stretches of the river smell of 下水管 while others 放出する a 有毒な odor of 燃料, a stench that stays in ones nose for hours after leaving the water. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

"Working in the Guaire isn't 平易な," he said, talking over the roar of traffic on a nearby 主要道路. "When it 供給するs, it 供給するs. When it takes, it takes your life."

Images of poor Venezuelans eating from garbage piles in Caracas have come to symbolize the 深くするing 経済的な 危機 in what was once one of Latin America's wealthiest countries. いっそう少なく 明白な are the young men and boys who 徹底的に捜す the Guaire's dirty waters for any sliver of metal that might help 料金d their families.

They appear at times to be playing, shirtless and laughing in groups. The sun 反映するs off their 一連の会議、交渉／完成するd 支援するs as they bend, scoop up 激しく揺するs and 投げ上げる／ボディチェックする them aside with a splash.

The water is 悪名高くも filthy - a drain for rainwater from the streets and 下水管s, along with 産業の waste and an 時折の treasure.

"As long as I can remember, the Guaire was this open 汚水," said Alejandro Velasco, a native of Caracas and professor of Latin American history at New York University. "It certainly seems to 反映する the depth and extent of the desperation that this particular 危機 has spawned."

Nearly two １０年間s of 社会主義者 支配する in which food and oil 生産／産物 have 急落するd まっただ中に poor 管理／経営 of 明言する／公表する 資源s and a 減少（する） in world 天然のまま prices have driven many Venezuelans into desperation.

Each morning, scavengers stream 負かす／撃墜する to the Guaire from hillside barrios. Some 包む their fingertips in tape to 保護する from 削減（する）s and 感染s, ignoring any 可能性のある long-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 health 影響s from standing in foul water for hours each day.

Calls to clean up the river and the millions already spent have had no resu lt.

The late 大統領 Hugo Chavez 定評のある the river's filthy 明言する／公表する in 2005 and 誓約（する）d a 十分な cleanup. "I will 招待する you all to go for a swim in the Guaire - soon," he 公約するd on television.

The の間の-American 開発 Bank in 2012 stepped up with a $300 million 貸付金, 開始する，打ち上げるing an ambitious 事業／計画（する） to build wastewater 工場／植物s and 扱う／治療する 汚水 that goes into the river.

Nearly six years later, the water remains filthy, the cleanup 事業／計画（する） 達成するing a fraction of its goal. Bank 公式の／役人s 拒絶する／低下するd to comment on the 事業／計画（する） and Venezuelan 政府 leaders have also been silent on when it might be cleaned.

Some stretches of the river smell of 汚水 while others 放出する a 有毒な odor reminiscent of 燃料, a stench that stays in your nose for hours after leaving its banks.

The Guaire again drew attention in 中央の-2017 when 居住（者）s 抗議するing 大統領 Nicolas Maduro's 支配する waded across the river to escape choking 涙／ほころび gas 解雇する／砲火／射撃d by 暴動 officers.

Most days, the river scavengers go unnoticed by other Caracas 居住（者）s as they 速度(を上げる） 総計費 on an elevated 主要道路, 封鎖するd from 見解（をとる） by 固める／コンクリート 障壁s.

A woman 押し進めるing a baby stroller across an overpass on a rare vantage point looked 負かす／撃墜する at dozens in the water.

"What a shame for our country," she said.

Villanueva lives with his father, a retired 軍の man, in one of the poorest and most dangerous barrios in Caracas. He still struggles with his mother's death from a 一打／打撃. She had 勧めるd him to go to college.

Villanueva 手配中の，お尋ね者 to earn money, but he could only land a 一連の low-支払う／賃金ing 明言する／公表する 職業s, such as 広範囲にわたる the streets. The 最小限 行う for public 従業員s in Venezuela is いっそう少なく than $7 a month at the 黒人／ボイコット market 交流 率.

Food has become ますます hard to find or afford. An 概算の 75 パーセント of Venezuelans lost an 普通の／平均（する） of 19 続けざまに猛撃するs (8.7 キログラムs) last year, によれば one 最近の 調査する.

Villanueva first waded into the river six months ago, 招待するd by a fri end. His first day's work cashed in at $20, and he was 麻薬中毒の, にもかかわらず jibes 支援する in his 近隣 from those who tell him to stay away because he smells like the Guaire.

Another scavenger working with Villanueva wears a plastic pill 瓶／封じ込める strung around his neck, 持つ／拘留するing his finds. He 注ぐs into his palm broken links of a keychain and an old coin, かもしれない 価値（がある） something in Bolivar Plaza, where vendors 申し込む／申し出 cash for gold.

Villanueva doesn't know anybody who has died from rising water, but stories abound of others washed away never to be 設立する. Villanueva says 集会 clouds and more trash than normal 存在 washed from banks upriver tell him that the water is rising, and he has いっそう少なく than 15 minutes to get out.

He dreams of leaving Venezuela to find a better 職業. But for now he is taking his chances scavenging in the Guaire.

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, a river scavenger shows a silver cross he found at the bottom of the polluted Guaire River, in Caracas, Venezuela. Scavengers rake their hands across the river bottom and let the gravel and rocks fall through their fingers, scanning for an earring backing, lost rings or any bits of precious metal to cash in for food. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, a river scavenger shows a silver cross he 設立する at the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River, in Caracas, Venezuela. Scavengers rake their 手渡すs across the river 底（に届く） and let the gravel and 激しく揺するs 落ちる through their fingers, scanning for an earring 支援, lost （犯罪の）一味s or any bits of precious metal to cash in for food. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, Angel Villanueva, right, looks for pieces of gold and other valuables in the debris he scooped up from the bottom of the polluted Guaire River, alongside other scavengers, in Caracas, Venezuela. As the 25-year-old scavenges alongside his friends, he's mindful that flash flooding leaves just minutes to get out, or be washed away to his death. Villanueva said he buys food with the money he earns that comes from selling what he finds in the river. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, Angel Villanueva, 権利, looks for pieces of gold and other 価値のあるs in the 破片 he scooped up from the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River, と一緒に other scavengers, in Caracas, Venezuela. As the 25-year-old scavenges と一緒に his friends, he's mindful that flash flooding leaves just minutes to get out, or be washed away to his death. Villanueva said he buys food with the money he earns that comes from selling what he finds in the river. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, David Garcia, 19, smokes a cigarette while taking a break during his first week searching the polluted Guaire River for gold and anything valuable he can sell, as he sits on the edge of a drainage pipe, in Caracas, Venezuela. The father of a 4-month-old baby, Garcia said when work dried up organizing block parties he started reselling food he bought after waiting hours in line at grocery stores, but eventually that didn't bring him enough income to feed his family either, so he turned to the river. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, David Garcia, 19, smokes a cigarette while taking a break during his first week searching the 汚染するd Guaire River for gold and anything 価値のある he can sell, as he sits on the 辛勝する／優位 of a drainage 麻薬を吸う, in Caracas, Venezuela. The father of a 4-month-old baby, Garcia said when work 乾燥した，日照りのd up 組織するing 封鎖する parties he started 転売するing food he bought after waiting hours in line at grocery 蓄える／店s, but 結局 that didn't bring him enough income to 料金d his family either, so he turned to the river. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, a medicine bottle hangs from a river scavenger's neck, where he keeps the small pieces of gold and other precious metals he finds on the bottom of the polluted Guaire River, in Caracas, Venezuela. A surge of young men and boys turn each day to the Guaire for survival in Venezuela's deepening crisis, scavenging from the river that runs the distance of Caracas. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, a 薬／医学 瓶／封じ込める hangs from a river scavenger's neck, where he keeps the small pieces of gold and other precious metals he finds on the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River, in Caracas, Venezuela. A 殺到する of young men and boys turn each day to the Guaire for 生き残り in Venezuela's 深くするing 危機, scavenging from the river that runs the distance of Caracas. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, men sort through the debris they pulled up from the bottom of the polluted Guaire River, in search of pieces of gold and anything of value to sell in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela sits atop the world's largest oil reserves, but the global drop in crude prices and plummeting production under nearly two decades of socialist rule has left many in the country of 30 million people struggling to survive. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, men sort through the 破片 they pulled up from the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River, in search of pieces of gold and anything of value to sell in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela sits 頂上に the world's largest oil reserves, but the 全世界の 減少（する） in 天然のまま prices and 急落するing 生産／産物 under nearly two １０年間s of 社会主義者 支配する has left many in the country of 30 million people struggling to 生き残る. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

This combo of two photographs shows Angel Villanueva in his living room on Dec. 9 2017, top, and him standing in the Guaire River where he uses a metal bar to break up the bottom of the polluted waterway that runs through Caracas, Venezuela. The 25-year-old who lives with his father first turned to the river about six months ago when he lost his job at a home appliance store. When he took home finds worth $20 the first day, he was hooked, even though his family half-jokingly tell him he smells bad at the end of the day. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

This combo of two photographs shows Angel Villanueva in his living room on Dec. 9 2017, 最高の，を越す, and him standing in the Guaire River where he uses a metal 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 to break up the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd 水路 that runs through Caracas, Venezuela. The 25-year-old who lives with his father first turned to the river about six months ago when he lost his 職業 at a home 器具 蓄える／店. When he took home finds 価値（がある） $20 the first day, he was 麻薬中毒の, even though his family half-jokingly tell him he smells bad at the end of the day. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, David Garcia keeps his head just barely above water as he scrapes the bottom of the polluted Guaire River in search of gold and anything of value to sell in Caracas, Venezuela. The 19-year-old father of a 4-month-old baby said it was his first week working in the toxic, sewage filled waters and that his family didn't know this was how he was trying to earn money to put food on the table. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, David Garcia keeps his 長，率いる just barely above water as he 捨てるs the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River in search of gold and anything of value to sell in Caracas, Venezuela. The 19-year-old father of a 4-month-old baby said it was his first week working in the 有毒な, 汚水 filled waters and that his family didn't know this was how he was trying to earn money to put food on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, Douglas, center, holds a sack in the polluted Guaire River as he and others pull mud up from the bed of the river in search of gold and other valuables to sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. The river and the scavengers in it go largely unseen by Caracas residents speeding overhead on the city's main highway, blocked from view by concrete barriers. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, Douglas, 中心, 持つ／拘留するs a 解雇（する） in the 汚染するd Guaire River as he and others pull mud up from the bed of the river in search of gold and other 価値のあるs to sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. The river and the scavengers in it go 大部分は unseen by Caracas 居住（者）s スピード違反 総計費 on the city's main 主要道路, 封鎖するd from 見解（をとる） by 固める／コンクリート 障壁s. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 7, 2017 photo, Felix Diaz smokes a cigarette next to Angel Villanueva eating a piece of bread as they take a break from scraping the bottom of the polluted Guaire River in search of gold and anything of value to sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. "Working in the Guaire isn't easy. It's hard," said 25-year-old Villanueva. "When it provides, it provides. When it takes, it takes your life," referring to flash flooding. Diaz, a former security guard who lives with his sister, said he started searching the river nine months ago. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 7, 2017 photo, Felix Diaz smokes a cigarette next to Angel Villanueva eating a piece of bread as they take a break from 捨てるing the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River in search of gold and anything of value to sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. "Working in the Guaire isn't 平易な. It's hard," said 25-year-old Villanueva. "When it 供給するs, it 供給するs. When it takes, it takes your life," referring to flash flooding. Diaz, a former 安全 guard who lives with his sister, said he started searching the river nine months ago. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 29, 2017 photo, a river scavenger shows his fingers wrapped with scotch tape, as he digs for gold and anything of valuable he can sell, at the bottom of the polluted Guaire River that runs through Caracas, Venezuela. Scavengers say they often cut their fingers on the river's jagged bottom and their fingers get infected. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 29, 2017 photo, a river scavenger shows his fingers wrapped with scotch tape, as he digs for gold and anything of 価値のある he can sell, at the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River that runs through Caracas, Venezuela. Scavengers say they often 削減（する） their fingers on the river's jagged 底（に届く） and their fingers get 感染させるd. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, Angel Villanueva, center, uses a metal bar to break up the mud at the bottom of the polluted Guaire River in Caracas, Venezuela. The 25-year old says people don't want to touch him, or come near because they fear they'll get an infection from him from being in the river, but that he doesn't know of anybody who has died from scavenging the water. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, Angel Villanueva, 中心, uses a metal 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 to break up the mud at the 底（に届く） of the 汚染するd Guaire River in Caracas, Venezuela. The 25-year old says people don't want to touch him, or come 近づく because they 恐れる they'll get an 感染 from him from 存在 in the river, but that he doesn't know of anybody who has died from scavenging the water. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, Douglas searches for gold and anything valuable he can sell, in the polluted Guaire River in Caracas, Venezuela. The river is a notorious outlet for rainwater from the streets, sewer and industrial waste. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Nov. 30, 2017 photo, Douglas searches for gold and anything 価値のある he can sell, in the 汚染するd Guaire River in Caracas, Venezuela. The river is a 悪名高い 出口 for rainwater from the streets, 下水管 and 産業の waste. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, a man holds on to a branch to lower himself do wn the concrete bank to the polluted Guaire River where he will search for anything valuable he can sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. Most of the scavengers stream down from hillside barrios, and from afar, they seem to play in the river, but in reality their desperation to earn a living is what pushes them to risk entering the toxic, sewage water. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Dec. 5, 2017 photo, a man 持つ／拘留するs on to a 支店 to lower himself 負かす／撃墜する the 固める／コンクリート bank to the 汚染するd Guaire River where he will search for anything 価値のある he can sell, in Caracas, Venezuela. Most of the scavengers stream 負かす／撃墜する from hillside barrios, and from afar, they seem to play in the river, but in reality their desperation to earn a living is what 押し進めるs them to 危険 entering the 有毒な, 汚水 water. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

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