Caracas, Venezuela. As we published a few days ago, the new Board of Directors at the Eusko Etxea in the Venezuelan capital is progressing in the creation of “Esku Bat” (A Hand), a foundation to help Basques all over the country. The Foundation is administratively distinct from the Basque and that allows it to operate in specific areas, for example in health issues, documentation and providing advice.
Ibane Azpiritxaga, Basque club president, explained to EuskalKultura.eus that the Foundation functions as a link to associations in the health industry and supports easy access to high cost medications. “It is an alternative to the decadent health system that exists in Venezuela. Many people in the community feel neglected in this regard and above all older individuals that need the most attention. We have to keep in mind that they are the reason for us to be,” he added.
Azpiritxaga said that in the last few years they have had to become a link to the Spanish Consulate and Embassy “since 95% of the Venezuelan holds this double citizenship. Communities like Puerto La Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Cumana, Maracaibo, Merida and Valencia have to travel to Caracas sometimes 10 hour long trips that include high travel and hotel expenses, to renew documents. Our goal is to make all this process as easy and simple as we can, helping everyone as much as we can.”
The Foundation has become a resource for advice in legal matters too.
"The Basque club board is hoping to concretize “EskuBat” as soon as possible in hopes of beginning work with the public in August of this year,” the president concluded.
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