The show goes on in Venezuela, the return of foreign music shows

The population welcomes the increase in the offer of music shows in Venezuela, including foreign artists.

Many believe that the industry’s revival reflects the economic boom that the Caribbean nation is experiencing in 2022.

Since last year, there has been an increase in the number of music events in the country. Still, the concert by Venezuelan salsa and pop duo Servando & Florentino on June 2 highlighted the sector’s good performance.

According to the government, since 2017, more than 500 sanctions imposed by the United States have made it impossible for Venezuelan productive and economic activities to develop, leading to a deterioration in the purchasing power of more than 90% of citizens.

However, in the first quarter of this year, the economy grew by 17.4%, according to the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).

In addition, the country’s main banking institution forecast growth of 18.7% for the second quarter of this year.

HIGH PRICES

However, while supply has increased, ticket prices for foreign artists are still quite high. When asked by Sputnik Agency, the deputy minister attributed this to the logistical difficulties faced by producers, which are also a result of the blockade.

The difference between Venezuelan ticket prices and those of other Latin American countries is clear.

For example, the Mexican pop band Reik will perform in the Caribbean country this month, and ticket prices range from US$50 to US$500, while in Ecuador the same show two months later costs between US$40 and US$140 for the most expensive ticket.

The director of Francia Santos Producción, Francia Rodríguez, confirmed that this is also due to the special rates that international artists charge for performances in Venezuela.

According to the Caracas-based entrepreneur, who has been working in the industry for more than five years and who also described the possibility of reopening national stages as “excellent,” this cost to the Venezuelan market is the result of a campaign promoted by other sectors outside the industry that aims to affect commercial activity.

At the same time, the producer stressed that the market is currently saturated, as the demand from abroad to present artists in Venezuelan territory is the same, and that this poses serious risks to the sector, as not all events have the same capacity.

Rodríguez also stressed that these events were not accessible to all citizens and that the high ticket prices allowed only a portion of society with the highest purchasing power to attend concerts.

In March, the minimum wage for workers was set at half a petro (cryptocurrency). According to the BCV website, this Thursday, September 1, the cryptocurrency is quoted at 473.4 bolivars, which corresponds to a salary in the country of 236.7 bolivars, equivalent to US$30.

IMPORTANT PLACE

Venezuelan salsa singer Luis Batista explained that so many musicians want to perform in Venezuela because the country has always represented a good place for the international art industry in the past.

The musician and composer stressed that Venezuela is a country of opportunities, with very happy and warm people who are eager to have such experiences even after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Batista also stressed that Nicolás Maduro’s government is also promoting music industry initiatives to support national talent.

For her part, the deputy minister stressed that the government expects this boom to provide more opportunities for national artists to participate in these presentations, pointing out that entrepreneurs have two legal obligations beyond the taxes established for commercial activity.

Millán also pointed out that this year important events have been held under the auspices of the government, free of charge and with great capacity, stressing that the activation of the entertainment industry in the country is just one of the many sectors that are being revitalized in the national economy.

With information from Sputnik