Sex, drugs, coronavirus: Latin rich kids party on

In Latin America, the world’s most unequal society, jetsetting elites are being blamed for importing the coronavirus.

While some Venezuelans party, others queue for hours for petrol. Picture: Getty Images

They whiled away the week on a sex- and drug-fuelled romp: dancing­ on white-sand beaches and frolicking on a paradisaical Caribbean island with prostitutes from Europe, some snapping selfies with famous reggaeton artists.

But, unbeknown to several children of Venezuela’s ruling elite, the coronavirus was spreading among them.

For some of Venezuela’s ­“Bolichicos” — the privileged offspring of the socialist revolution — the party hasn’t stopped amid a widening pandemic in a country gripped by crisis.

To date, the virus has claimed only seven confirmed deaths in Venezuela. But the potential is high for the pandemic to overwhelm an already crippled health system, where hospitals lack water, electricity and supplies.

It’s not clear how many people got sick last month on the Los Roques archipelago. But a raucous party that became a cluster of ­infection has raised concerns at the highest level of the government and drawn condemnation from Venezuelans locked down at home for weeks.

“There was a party, on an ­island, and practically everyone at the party is testing positive,” embattle­d leader Nicolas Maduro said on TV last month. Three days later, as embarrassing Instagram posts leaked out under #CoronavirusParty, he downplayed it.

“Who is going to criticise a party? They didn’t know they were sick,” said Mr Maduro, who was indicte­d by the US last month on narcotics charges. Whether it’s crowded Miami beaches during spring break or clandestine raves in Spain and Italy in the pandemic’s early days, parties among the young and rich have been tough to tamp down.

In Latin America, the world’s most unequal society, jetsetting elites are blamed for importing the virus. In Mexico, for example, nearly 20 people were found to be infected after returning from a ski trip to Vail, Colorado. But it’s the poor — lacking medical care and struggling to hold down informal jobs — who bear the brunt.

In Venezuela, engulfed by food and medicine shortages that have forced five million people to flee, lavish celebrations are even more vexing. Such pockets of wealth are also harder to see amid incessant propaganda extolling the hardworking poor. The festivities in Los Roques were organised by ­several government-connected businessmen, according to two people familiar with the gatherings who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Among the young revellers was Jesus Amoroso, son of Mr Mad­uro’s top anti-corruption official, who has been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for allegedly undermining Venezuela’s demo­c­racy.

The two people said Venezuelan prostitutes from Madrid and London were flown in just before air travel to Spain was closed.

Parties in the cluster of tiny island­s have become more popular, with Miami, Madrid and New York out of reach after US sanctions cut off access to foreign bank accounts and easy travel.

Among them are Mr Maduro’s sons, according to the two people, although none attended the latest gathering.

Usually, the parties feature psychedelic 2C-B drugs — known as “pink cocaine” for its high price and pink, powdery appearance, the two people said. One of them provided a video of the recent soiree, showing bikini-clad women dancing at a beachfront home ­rented from an exiled banker.

Last week, police arrested several­ people who were in Los Roques, including the suspected madam for the upscale prostitutes, after breaking up a multiday party in an upscale Caracas home.

Officers found a handgun, ecstas­y pills and eight women belonging to a suspected prostitution ring, according to the police report.

Of the 18 arrested for violating the ban on large gatherings, two tested positive for the virus.

AP