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The Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro sparked outrage again after appearing at a public event wearing Loro Piana 360 LP Flexy Walk luxury sneakers, valued between 950 and 1,085 dollars, according to the official price of the Italian brand.
Footwear, a symbol of exclusivity and status among the elite, brutally contrasts with the misery faced by millions of Venezuelans, who are caught in one of the worst economic crises on the continent.
While Maduro sports items costing four figures, the official minimum wage in Venezuela —including pensions— remains at just 130 bolívares, equivalent to about 0.50 dollars a month. With that amount, a citizen cannot afford even a basic meal a day.
The image of the Chavista leader in designer footwear has been widely criticized on social media, where thousands of users denounced the hypocrisy and cynicism of the head of state, who governs a country where more than 80% of the population lives in poverty and millions rely on remittances or international aid to survive.
It is not the first time that Maduro has displayed signs of ostentation. On other occasions, he has been seen wearing watches Rolex worth over 150 thousand dollars, gold rings with emeralds, and designer shirts from Europe, while the population suffers from blackouts, shortages, and a collapsed healthcare system.
The recent appearance of the Venezuelan ruler wearing shoes that cost over a thousand dollars has become a symbol of the disconnection and disregard of the power towards the people.
His image, smiling and surrounded by officials, reflects the paradox of an elite that strolls through luxury while the country faces a prolonged humanitarian crisis and the forced emigration of more than seven million Venezuelans.
Venezuela maintains one of the lowest salaries in the world, with prices skyrocketing each month due to inflation and the partial dollarization of the economy.
Access to food, medicine, and transportation remains a daily challenge for most citizens, while the regime authorities continue to talk about "economic recovery" and "revolutionary resistance."
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