Business

Nicaragua's Spider-Man and army of underemployed suffers COVID-19 crisis

Managua, May 9 (EFE).- Every weekday, Spider-Man jumps out from traffic lights in Managua to rescue his family finances, however Nicaragua's COVID-19 epidemic is preventing him from achieving his main feat of “bringing home the bacon.”Along with a Venom without his suit, Spider-Man earns a living by performing “faro” or a performance, such as street dancing, at traffic lights amidst window cleaners and street vendors, who are part of an army of more than 1.5 million underemployed in the country, according to official data.(Camera: RENEE LUCIA RAMOS). SHOT LIST: A STREET DANCER DRESSED AS SPIDER-MAN, STEVEN GARMENDIA, AND HIS PARTNER, DIEDRICH DÍAZ, PERFORMING A STREE DANCE UNDER A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN MANAGUA, NICARAGUA.SOUNDBITES: DIEDRICH DÍAZ, A STREET PERFORMER (IN SPANISH).1.) DIAZ: Right now it has been very hard, really, because people, as they see us like this without protection or anything, are afraid of just opening the car window to give us something. And if they give us something, they throw the coin at us, or they drop it into our hands, but yes, it has been hard (00:21-00:43).2.) DIAZ: In fact, there are weeks when only three or four cars are there at the stoplight (00:55-01:01).3.) DIAZ: The situation is increasingly critical, and there is not enough information – neither on the networks nor on television – that we know about the virus (01:07-01:21).