The most affected by this situation are the workers who carry out their duties under the sun. Below, we review some of the cases and their experiences on how they deal with this situation.
CHIPEROS
Rafael González, chipero from Guarambaré, affirmed for his part that, due to poverty, he is forced to make his journeys in the intense heat. He said that necessity is what forces him to go out every day in these high temperatures.
“I have heart problems. The doctor already forbade me this job. But I have no alternative. I have family to support and bills to pay,” she commented.
González prepares his chipas from 06:00 to 11:00. From 12:30 pm he leaves for the IPS in his city where he awaits clients. Starting at 4:00 p.m., it begins its tour of the streets until approximately 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“I have traveled almost the entire city for 30 years. The only thing I do is drink a lot of water and commend myself to God as a precautionary measure, ”he commented.
TAXIS
Miguel Barrios Duarte, vice president of the Federation of Taxi Drivers of Ciudad del Este (CDE), pointed out that they ask the municipality that large trucks return to pass only at night through the bridge of friendship. This is due to the fact that, at present, 24 hours can pass, generating traffic stagnation with the heat stroke that this generates in motorists.
“Now there is an order from Asunción for them to pass every day. Now we do an hour and a half to come and go from Foz de Yguazú. It’s torture going out there in this heat,” he noted.
He warned that, due to this situation, they are analyzing closing the bridge as a protest measure.
FOOTBALL POOLS
Felipe Gómez Paniagua, a pool runner in Guarambaré for 39 years, is dedicated to getting on and off the buses from 5:05 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. He stated that this summer is hotter than previous years.
“It’s suffocating. I try to get off where there are bus stops, but you still get burned. I am with my water bottle that I have to constantly refill, it is overwhelming, ”she expressed.
The worker questioned that the firm TDP SA, which provides employment to quinieleros, does not provide facilities for workers to protect their health in the face of high temperatures.
Paniagua is the general secretary of the National Union of Workers, sellers of pools (Sintraquiba).
GUARDS
Isidro Ocampos, security guard and general secretary of the Alto Paraná Industrial, Civil Construction and Hydroelectric Workers’ Union (Sticcap), said they are enduring the high temperatures as much as possible.
“Most of the guards are indoors, but the workers who cut the grass are working under the sun, but they work an hour, then rest and go back to work. It’s the only way,” she reported.
WEEDS
Natalia Adorno, a seller of refreshing remedies from Guarambaré, pointed out that she used to work until noon, but due to the high temperatures, she was forced to cut her hours until 10:00 or 10:30.
“This weather makes me desperate. I live far away and I have to walk about seven blocks to get to my stall. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and every year it’s worse, ”she concluded.
