Thursday 17 February 2011

Palatial homeless refuge | Reuters.com

Refugee boys play at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011. President Hugo Chavez's government has literally opened its doors to the homeless -- and scores of them have taken residence in the architecturally prized "Casa Amarilla," a former presidential home and now Foreign Ministry headquarters. In a move critics say is crass populism but supporters hail as evidence of profound humanism, the socialist Chavez has exhorted all his ministries and military to throw open their doors for victims of last year's floods.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee girl climbs up a staircase at foreign minister headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee girl studies in a room at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A 97-year-old refugee Ignacia Palacio sits outside her room at an office at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Refugees feed their children outside their rooms at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Refugees play baseball at the backyard of the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee brushes her daughter's hair in their room at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Refugees put their bags through a scanner as they return from school at their shelter at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Refugee families play at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee boy plays with a toy car at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee walks with his son at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee boy sits at the courtyard outside his room at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Children who are temporarily sheltered at the Foreign Ministry, play with a plastic ball in Caracas February 8, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A refugee family takes an elevator to their rooms at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas February 11, 2011.
REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Respect President Chavez (-: