Summary of Líbano: Las consecuencias y las víctimas de la crisis económica | DW Documental

00:00:00 - 00:50:00

The video discusses the effects of the economic crisis in Lebanon, focusing on the stories of those who have been affected by the crisis. The family featured in the video has been forced to flee to Europe in an attempt to escape the violence and poverty in Lebanon. Mohamed, one of the family members, tells the story of how he and his son were kidnapped by terrorists and held for 29 days. He dreams of leaving the country and moving to a more peaceful place.

• 00:00:00 The video discusses the economic crisis in Lebanon, which has caused great poverty and has led to a wave of emigration. Trípoli, a city in the north of the country, is one of the poorest areas in Lebanon. The central part of the city has been closed off to business for the past two years, due to the high prices of goods. Today, most stores are empty, with the exception of neighbors coming to sell their last possessions. I went to sell this ring and this one as well. This one is 18 characters and is exactly accurate, it's a widow's last jewelry and I have four children to feed on 255 dollars only. I also have silver jewelry. Today, I'm selling my husband's alliance to buy food for my family. I'm going to buy a little flour, rice, and curry. Something of meat to help us out. The economic crisis that is affecting the country has forced five thousand pounds of a celery stalk for sale for 70 thousand pounds, with a 5 thousand pound reduction. Prices for food have skyrocketed. For example, the price of fish has increased by 90%. The Lebanese currency, the lira, has lost 90% of its value. Many people are struggling to survive due to low wages
• 00:05:00 Libano is in the midst of a severe economic crisis, with high rates of unemployment and poverty. This video follows the story of a Catholic priest, Ashraf, in Beirut's Christian district, who is preparing for Christmas services. Many of his parishioners are drawn to his critical sermons on the economy. The priest has also taken to preaching on a regional mountain where he has been traveling weekly to help the poorest among the poor. His efforts are helping to mitigate the worst effects of the crisis, but there is still much work to be done.
• 00:10:00 Libano is in the midst of a severe economic crisis, and many people are struggling to survive. One family in particular is struggling to make ends meet, as the father cannot find work and the mother depends on private charity to get by. The father is angry with the government for not doing more to help, and the mother is angry with the state for making their lives so difficult. In the midst of all this, the family still relies on the kindness of their Christian friends to help them get by.
• 00:15:00 The video discusses the consequences of the economic crisis in Lebanon, including the rise in prices of goods and the difficulty people have in accessing money. It also talks about the difficulties small businesses are having due to the high price of electricity and the lack of access to credit. Rebeca, a young lawyer in Beirut, describes how the high price of electricity and the lack of access to credit has made it difficult for her to operate her business. She says that many people in her situation have had to give up their jobs and live in poverty. The crisis has led to the departure of many foreign investors from Lebanon, and the country is now facing a financial crisis. The local currency has lost almost 90% of its value since the crisis began, and many people have lost their homes.
• 00:20:00 The documentary discusses the consequences of the economic crisis in Lebanon, which has led to a new class of privileged people. Joseph, a commercial employee in a foreign pharmaceutical company, has become rich because of his access to fresh dollars. His wife, Romi, who works in a primary school, earns her salary in Lebanese pounds, which are worth less than the dollars Joseph and Romi receive in their regular paycheck. Without dollars, Joseph and Romi couldn't afford the basic needs of life. Joseph's wife tells the story of how they were able to build their house in record time thanks to a 50-million-lira (US$14.4 million) loan they requested but were denied because of the local currency's devaluation. Without the ability to exchange their dollars for local currency, Joseph and Romi couldn't afford to build their home. They now live in a neighborhood in north Beirut that has become exclusive for the wealthy due to the high cost of alcohol. Joseph's friends from school, who used to be able to hang out with him, can't afford to now that they're rich. Joseph himself says he's not happy because he can't do the things he used to do with his friends anymore.
• 00:25:00 In the video, titled "Líbano: Las consecuencias y las víctimas de la crisis económica | DW Documental," Rebecca, a middle-aged woman in Lebanon, discusses the consequences of the economic crisis in her country. Her salary, which barely amounts to anything today, barely covers the cost of a six-dollar bottle of wine. Her monthly salary only amounts to 80-85 dollars, which barely covers the deposit on her car. When she used to earn 1200 dollars, now she only earns 80 dollars. The difference is enormous, even though the country is experiencing inflation. Lebanese salaries have never been updated in over a decade. In the meantime, the 13% of Lebanese who currently receive their salary in dollars are at an all-time high. However, the rest of the population pays a very high price for this crisis. Some people in Lebanon are demanding justice, as the absurd situation continues. For example, one of Rebecca's scheduled court appointments was cancelled due to power outages. However, court appearances are still being scheduled. Sadly, things are not going Rebecca's way at the moment. However, we should not give up. There is no law that allows this informal control of
• 00:30:00 In the aftermath of a devastating fertilizer explosion in Lebanon, 218 people died and 6,500 were injured. The president of Lebanon appealed to the population to resist, and today, Beirut is trying to rebuild. Corruption is at the center of the investigation, with the government accused of involvement in the events. This reporter for investigative journalism who reports on corruption without fear is RIyad. He visits the port every morning to document the corruption.
• 00:35:00 The video discusses the consequences of the economic crisis in Lebanon, focusing on the explosion at the port of Beirut in October of 2017. It presents evidence that points to political corruption and incompetence being the root of the issue, and interviews a prominent Lebanese journalist who has been investigating the matter. The journalist reveals that the government failed to take action in response to warnings about the explosive cargo on the ship, and that this inaction led to 7 people being killed. The miliciano chiíta (a chiíta paramilitary group) is blamed for the violence, and the journalist discusses their 14-year history of violence against Christian opponents. The footage then shifts to October of 2021, when a group of young chiítas moved from the street into an abandoned building in order to defend themselves from Christian assailants. After a tense five-hour shootout, 7 chiítas were killed, including the interviewer's brother. This tragic story underscores the dangers of uncontrolled political violence in Lebanon.
• 00:40:00 This video discusses the effects of the economic crisis on Líbano, and focuses on the fear and anxiety of the family members who filmed it. They discuss how they signed up for courses to protect themselves from possible rockets, and how they felt after two hours of being held hostage. The father says he was only slightly afraid, but his family was evacuated due to fear of returning to the civil war. The majority of the country seems to be trying to get rid of the "fantasma" of religious sectarianism, but it will be a difficult task. The father tells his students that they have to be free to think for themselves and not be bound by religious dogma. Almost everyone in the class wants to leave Líbano, and one student asks if anyone wants to stay and "change something." The majority of the students say they will leave, but one student wants to change the country. The country's generation of failed-to-achieve-liberation-fighters will have to try something else.
• 00:45:00 Líbano is facing a crisis due to its economic situation. Voters are heading to the polls to decide if they want to continue to pay their country's debts. Despite efforts, the country has lost a million Libaneses since the crisis began. Public services are paralyzed, and the government has allowed them to deteriorate. In order to make ends meet, a private electric sector has arisen, supplying two-thirds of the country's needs. We were able to establish contact with this informal industry, and the "motherbrain" of this cable is one of the two owners of the eight generators that provide electricity to the neighborhood. These lines come from the main power cable that supplies the country's motors. The tank holding 30,000 liters of gas is empty most days, and gas is delivered to each apartment by truck. This system distributes electricity to different parts of the country, supplying homes with power on average for three hours a day. The state has attempted to regulate this private market, setting a fixed price for electricity, but the owners of the generators continue to make three times more than the price charged by the public sector. I pay my electricity bill. In the beginning of the year, employees of the public electric company went to collect money
• 00:50:00 In the year 2018, Lebanon was hit hard by a financial crisis that has left many people without jobs or money. In this video, DW's documentary filmmaker visits a family who has fled to Europe in an attempt to escape the country. While the documentary crew is filming, they are arrested and held in prison for seven years. Mohamed, one of the family members, tells the story of how he and his son were kidnapped by terrorists and held for 29 days. He dreams of leaving the country and moving to a more peaceful place.