After 24 years of uninterrupted presence, FIA Caracas, the oldest contemporary art fair in Latin America, has postponed its 2015 edition. The 24th edition of the fair was scheduled for the month of October in the Venezuelan capital. Through a communiqué, the organizers of the event have expressed their preoccupation as result of the most recent political and economic problems in Venezuela. "Since its first edition in 1992, FICA Caracas has decisively and composedly confronted the worst political crises in the country, as well as its progressive economic decline. Nonetheless, the sum of the realities and issues this year, have led us to take the decision of postponing the date of the fair. This conditions are the direct result of the worsening of our national reality, which includes the closing of the Venezuelan-Colombian border—which no longer ensures the transportation of works of art from and to Venezuela—the bureaucratic measures imposed by the customs system for temporal imports—which hinder the timely delivery of the participating artworks— the instability of the exchange rate; the shortage of supplies and basic products that are required for the mounting of the stands, and the alarming high levels of insecurity." The gallery emphasizes that the decision was taken to ensure the quality, seriousness and security of the event, which each year welcomes over 15,000 persons. Organizers announced that, for the time being, the event will be postponed for the month of June 2016, and that the other programs that are part of the 2015 edition will continue. FIA Caracas is a central institution for the promotion of the Venezuelan visual arts. Since 1998, it has presented a salon for young artists that has become a national and international referent and the platform from which to project new Venezuelan creators. In addition to this, the event also sponsors the programs "All Terrain" at schools in the poor neighborhoods in Caracas. These programs include the granting of academic scholarships; theoretical encounters and conferences; internet access and training, and the decisive support of institutions that act for benefit of the most vulnerable sectors of the population.