50 US dollars represent almost 10 minimum wages, according to the official BCV exchange rate of Bs 24.49 per dollar. The team of SuchWhich Investigate if those $50 are enough to comply with the Easter traditions. This is the ninth work in a weekly publication series that tries to analyze what expenses you can cover with the ticket with the face of Ulysses S. Grant
Holy Week is one of the most important holidays in Venezuela. Despite being a legally secular country, an important part of the population defines itself as Catholic and within Catholicism, the Semana Mayor not only commemorates the passion of Christ, but the parishioners demonstrate their faith by complying with certain traditions dictated by this religion. .
One of the main characteristics of this set of traditions is the abstinence from meat consumption every Friday during the Lenten period, that is, since last Ash Wednesday, February 22.
However, many parishioners comply with abstinence only on the Friday of Holy Week. That’s why, fish is a typical dish of these dates. Specifically in Venezuela, the best companion is usually the plantain and grated saladthe beach dish par excellence.
For this reason, SuchWhich found out the prices of the products needed to cook this dish from home. The king king was selected as the protein of the dish, banana, cabbage, carrots and mayonnaise for the side and the salad.
*Read also: Sins and fish at Easter, by Miro Popić
A price search in the Quinta Crespo Municipal Market allowed to determine the money that would spend a family of five people to cook this dish at home. In total, you would need 2.5 kg of mackerel at $11.25 ($4.5 per kilo), 1 kg of plantains at $2, a cabbage for $0.80, 500 grams of carrots for $0.5 and a 175-gram mayonnaise. for $2. In total about $16.55.
For dessert, also a traditional preparation: the rice pudding. In this case, 1 kg of rice is required for $1.10, 1 liter of milk for $2, 1 kg of sugar for $1.20 and 100 grams of cinnamon for $1.30. These ingredients add up to $5.6.
The remaining $27.85 of the budget will be used to purchase the religious articles necessary to comply with the traditions of this date, especially the processions and the payment of promises to the Nazarene.
* Also read: What do Venezuelans believe? The diversity of cults is maintained in the country
For these activities, the total cost of a package of 17 candles for $2, a rosary for $3, a candle for $1, a picture with a religious figure for $1, and a Nazarene suit for $20 was investigated.
Total spending would be $49.15 with low prices in the Quinta Crespo Market and religious articles stores on Avenida Baralt.
Do parishioners shop before Easter?
The tour was carried out by SuchWhich last Wednesday March 29, just five days before the start of Easter. Despite the proximity to the date, the flow of sales from businesses remains low.
Gregorio Gil, a vendor at a fish market in the Quinta Crespo Market, told SuchWhich that sales in these days prior to the holiday have not increased, despite the fact that in the past there were already more customers at this point.
*Read also: How to renew the closet with $50 in Mercado de La Hoyada?
But it is not only the case with food but also with religious articles, which focus on a niche that should have more activity at this time, but sales have not been as expected by merchants.
This is how Yuleisy Mejías, in charge of a small business in the Quinta Crespo Market, explains it. She stated that she hopes that sales will improve in the middle of Holy Week.
A third merchant, Martha Hernández, also sees how the sale of religious articles has not had a place this year. She considers that this is due to the needs of people who prioritize the acquisition of food before their spiritual needs.
«Here you see people pass by with a lot of bags of food and in front there are long lines to buy delicatessen because the prices are very good. That is the need. It’s not that people have lost faith,” he opined.
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