(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #246 - Urban Folder: Venezuela: Bienvenidos to Piedrita, land of popular power-cons (fr, it, pt)

 (en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #246 - Urban Folder:
Venezuela: Bienvenidos to Piedrita, land of popular power-cons (fr,
it, pt) [machine translation]

Class neighborhood in Caracas, pro-Ch?vez ("The small stone") is a special case among the 
Venezuelan favelas wedged between police violence and influence of the cartels. For thirty 
years, its inhabitants and residents have organized to reclaim their lives. With some 
success. ---- In July, the air is suffocating in Caracas. In the hubbub of the streets of 
the Venezuelan capital, amid spat with reggaeton speakers hanging red lights at the top, 
we expect Jorge young Bolivarian activist libertarian sensibility. Arrived with an hour 
late - "Hay tiempo" ("it was time") well known chorus daily Latinoamericano - Jorge, 
smiling, invites us to board his battered old Cadillac. Direction south hills of Caracas 
and disadvantaged neighborhoods.

The purpose of the visit, the pro-Ch?vez neighborhood. An example of collec tive life 
where people have chosen to build, and not to suffer. Located in Barrio 23 de Enero, a 
huge favela 100,000 souls, pro-Ch?vez, who account 3000, is an exception: here, drug 
dealers and crooked cops do not have citizenship. there thirty years ago, in 1985, tired 
of a daily fact of violence and fear, its inhabitants and its inhabitants rebelled and 
organized to provide something for their children that stray bullets, cocaine or glue 
sniff at.

A sign worthy of a spaghetti western

At the entrance of the barrio (neighborhood), a large sign greets visitors. The message is 
worthy of a spaghetti western "Welcome to pro-Ch?vez in peace. If you come to war we will 
fight you. "On another panel:" guerrilla zone ". Armed men stationed at a checkpoint, 
control whereabouts. On site, Valentin Santana, one of the founders of the project and 
member of the commu nal council, said: "pro-Ch?vez is our territory. The narcos as the 
police do not enter. The last time the municipal police came, it was received pump gun. 
There were two serious injuries. Since there were no more incidents.?

The drug problem has been resolved in an equally radical. Unlike other areas of the favela 
Barrio 23, where cartels hold street and terrorize the population, to the point of Caracas 
the most dangerous city in Latin America in terms of assassinations, nothing like here. 
When there thirty years, the pro-Ch?vez project took shape, one of the first measures was 
to eradicate proxos and narcos. "We went one morning to visit dealers in the neighborhood, 
says Valentine. We meant that they were twenty-four hours to leave. Our firmness and 
determination have frightened them. Nothing more was ever seen again.?

The vigilance continues to practice anyway. At night, armed people roam the streets to 
ensure the tranquility of the neighborhood and prevent outside intrusion, but also to take 
care of public health: "During the night patrols, said Valentin, our task is to ensure the 
proper functioning of the community. Report a junk heap piles up to such a corner, such as 
lamp bulb is burned out... "

Camera in hand, sitting on a bench in the kindergarten of the barrio, I film when Valentin 
celuici interrupts me politely but firmly: "Por favor comrade, can you remove your foot 
from the bench. We teach children to respect public property and not dirty. "Embarrassed, 
I complies. Valentin continues: "What is special about our neighborhood is the sense of 
community life. Here we are not neighbors and anonymous neighbors locked in our miserable 
lives. Here is the solidarity prevails.?

Canteen popular, salsa and self-sufficiency

A cultural house was built to accommodate children. Rather they are delivered to 
themselves after school, volunteers offer their activities: theater, sewing, homework 
assistance, dance. A reception of solteras madres (single mothers) also emerged, and a 
soup kitchen open to one and all. From a health plan, a self-directed clinic El Hogar, 
welcomes patients of the district. To make it live, the hostess, Yolanda, a Cuban doctor 
of 60, relies on a team of women from pro-Ch?vez she trained to assist in basic medical 
care but also deliveries or most delicate operations. The quality of medical care is as 
come to receive treatment free of charge, children from neighboring barrios who do not 
have the chance to have such a clinic.

Cooperative, El Taller ("Workshop") was founded in order to provide a minimum professional 
qualification for head-es and move towards self-sufficiency of the community. The manager, 
Roberto, lists the courses that are taught there: auto mechanics, bicycle repair, 
plumbing, electrical, kitchen, but also construction. Training in line with the needs of 
the population when a house is falling apart, a problem arises, the collective solidarity 
premium effort. And this is a group of fellow volunteers who supported the work.

Paco, still moved at the memory, has benefited once: "I live in this neighborhood ever 
since. There decade, Compa?eros del Taller came to my house in jail and my life changed. 
My walls are Ajourd'hui hard and I now drinking water that comes out of my kitchen faucet. 
At 70, I feel like a man for the first time in my life.?

Baseball Parties and district committees

Other group projects exist: the edge of the area, a huerta (garden) provides municipal 
population in fruits and vegetables; radio, 95.1 FM Piedrita, informs local news, parts of 
baseball (the national sport) to meetings of the neighborhood committee.

Example of popular power and self organized party, pro-Ch?vez impresses ?coup sure. There 
are questionable aspects, such as the blind and uncritical faith in the late leader Hugo 
Chavez, who is entitled to a private chapel. Others are surprising as this huge fresco 
representing Christ armed with a Kalashnikov. One thing, however, is indisputable: to 
pro-Ch?vez, the people chose to go his way. A path marked with the seal of solidarity, 
equality and dignity.

Jeremiah Berthuin (AL Gard)

http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Venezuela-Bienvenidos-a-la