Caracas, Mar 29 (EFE).- Caracas started this Friday with its electric service back to normal and people back at work, though schools remain closed following the blackout that affected almost all of Venezuela while power outages continue in other parts of the South American country.
In the Venezuelan capital, stores were open again after the workday suspension ordered by the Nicolas Maduro government when a blackout plunged almost the entire oil-producing nation in darkness for three days.
Educational institutes, however, remain closed for students of all ages.
Electronic means of payment are again available, as is the possibility of filling up the tank with gasoline at Caracas service stations.
The subway, the most important means of public transport, has its three lines operating again, as is the railroad that connects part of the north-central state of Miranda with Caracas.
The shock of the blackouts seemed to persist, however, since these transport systems, which normally carry millions of passengers every day, were boarded by few people up to 9:00 am and activity in the streets was slow.
Meanwhile, power cuts continue in western states like Tachira and Zulia, and the north-central states of Aragua and Carabobo, without any government report on the situation up to now.
In Aragua and Carabobo there were cuts in the electricity service on Friday for several hours before dawn, while repeated power cuts have continued in Tachira and Zulia for up to 12 hours in some sectors since last March 7, when the country suffered the first of this month’s blackouts.
Venezuela suffered a power outage Monday that left much of the country in the dark, the second on such a large scale in less than 30 days.
According to the Maduro government, the blackout was the reult of sabotage of the Guri hydroelectric plant, the most important in the country, and a subsequent fire of generators in that facility.
The president said Wednesday night that the fire was caused by gunshots hitting one of the generators, adding that a program of electricity rationing would be launched, but about which no further details have been announced.