SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, March 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Vice Ministry of Foreign Action of the Executive of the Canary Islands has approved the increase, for the fourth consecutive year, in direct aid to Canarian residents in Venezuela through health and food cards granted by the regional Executive in order to contribute to the improvement of the situation of these families, as published this Tuesday by the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC).
This new call, that of 2023, not only confirms the firm commitment to these aids during this Legislature, but also sets unknown increases in areas such as food, with a total of 820,000 euros more than the 2022 figure.
This food program for canaries abroad, in this case Venezuela, goes from 790,000 euros last year, 2022, to 1.61 million this year (2023).
In addition, the medical insurance for Canary Islands residents in Venezuela has another 100,000 euros more, going from the initial million in 2022 to 1.1 million in 2023.
This service is deployed through an agreement with the Fundación España Salud, according to a note from the Vice-Ministry.
Along with these actions, the drug program doubles its initial item, increasing from 300,000 to 600,000 euros in the initial call for 2022.
To these increases, which will make it possible to increase the number of beneficiaries, is added the fact that the recharge amount for food cards is going up to 25 euros, apart from the effort that no applicant is left without this aid, with the purpose of eliminating existing waiting lists up to now.
Last year there was already an increase in the number of beneficiaries after the increase in aid, going from 3,365 cards for food in 2021 to 3,587, while that of pharmaceutical products went from 2,240 to 2,460.
To do this, the Government raised the item for health cards by 90,000 euros (from 700,000 to 790,000 euros) and by 50,000 that of medicines (from 250,000 to 300,000 euros).
In addition, in 2022 the number of beneficiaries of the health aid that is distributed through the Fundación España Salud (FES) program has already increased and reached the figure of 1,574, thanks to a budget of 1,082 million euros.
The vice-councillor, Juan Rafael Zamora, underlines that “this growing and determined effort by the Government of the Canary Islands in favor of the islanders or their descendants living in Venezuela has been made after changing the criteria for the allocation of this support, in search of the maximum transparency and with official calls”.
In his opinion, “the figures are clear and undeniable and confirm unprecedented support for the Canaries abroad.”
In 2022, the aid for both cards was received retroactively on July 1. For food, there were a total of 6,040 applications, setting a reserve list of 1,899 and with 554 excluded because they already had another relative with an assigned contribution or for failing to meet the requirements. On this occasion, what is sought is to eliminate that waiting list.
In the case of medication cards, 3,907 requests were submitted, a reserve list of 619 was established and there were 898 excluded, although many of the latter are not entitled to this aid because they are beneficiaries of those of the Fundación España Salud.
PROCESS AND PLACES TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS
Canarians residing in Venezuela interested in this aid may request it, along with the necessary documentation, through the Canary Islands Government website (https://sede.gobcan.es), before the Vice-Ministry of Foreign Action (in its registry) and in the collaborating Canary Islands entities, such as the Civil Association of Altagracia de Orituco, the Amigos de Garoé, Virgen del Pino, the Centro Hispano del Sombrero, the Centro Hispano de Villa de Cura, the Canarian Emigrants Foundation (Fecan), the Mérida Canarian Home, the Mérida Canarian Foundation, the Venezuelan Canarian Home of Caracas and the Garajonay Foundation.
Likewise, in person, the management can be done at the Delegation of the Government of the Canary Islands in Venezuela (Caracas) and at the offices of the same Executive located in the Spanish Cultural Center Cervantes-El Tigre, Canario-Venezuelan Social and Sports Center of San Carlos, Hermandad Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, Hogar Hispano de Yaracuy, Hogar Hispano Venezolano del Estado Aragua, Unión Canaria de Venezuela, Hogar Canario Larense, Hogar Canario Venezuelan de Coro and Hogar Hispano de Valencia.
