MARIELA LEON
EL UNIVERSAL / SPECIAL ENVOY

The directors of the National Land Institute (INTI) visited San Felipe, the capital city of central western Yaracuy State, in order to endorse a move by the governors of the states of Yaracuy, Cojedes and Monagas to seize idle plots of land in such regions.

The president of the INTI, Eliézer Otaiza, ensured that his agency considers that land intervention decrees are consistent with the Venezuelan Constitution and the Land Law.

Otaiza, a retired Army captain, former director of the secret police Disip, and former head of the National Institute for Educational Co-operation (INCE), said in the next few days the remaining states are to join this initiative to eradicate latifundio and idle land, event the states "of Zulia and Nueva Esparta, which are governed by opposition leaders and have said they accept" land seizure moves.

Otaiza, together with other INTI officials and Yaracuy State governor Carlos Giménez, claimed "there is a media campaign underway to generate an artificial discussion intended to dismantle the revolutionary government strategy to fight tenure of idle and non-productive land."

He added, however, that President Hugo Chávez' administration is making "political efforts" to launch negotiations with state governors, farmers, landowners and regional leaders.

"It is our intention to avoid confrontation," and warned that "no excesses have been committed so far."

Public rather than private

Otaiza reminded that the agency in charge of assessing the status of seized plots of lands started operations as of January 1. The government has conducted 500 preliminary inspections in tracts of lands and found 500 "idle plots of lands" and identified 56 latifundios nationwide.

Surveys regarding land use, tenure and ownership, have found that "many plots of land thought to be private are public, and we have enough documents to prove it."

The INTI has urged the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) to speed up the creation of agrarian courts to solve these conflicts. But Otaiza reiterated the government intention to mediate with the owners of non-productive lands. He called upon landowners and peasants occupying tracts of land "to cooperate and join" the government initiative to redistribute land, which is intended to deconcentrate land productive activities and increase productive lands nationwide.

Regarding reports that invaders, settlers and peasants have been allegedly persecuted and even killed, Otaiza said it is necessary to open agrarian courts to institutionalize the role of governors' offices and protect the people.

He also mentioned the government so-called Agro-alimentary Security Plan, saying this is another step in a government "important initiative to redistribute land." Otaiza announced that National Armed Force (FAN) reservists are to guard farmlands and border areas, where locals are victim "of insurgents and paramilitary."

He added he has contacted high-rank military officers and asked them to authorize the "definition of standards to accommodate the alimentary security (plan) to a consistent state policy mainly focused on strengthening an agro-alimentary platform in the country."

Usurpation

The decree the Yaracuy State Governor's Office issued is different from that issued by Cojedes and Monagas states in that it provides for the "rescue" of idle land, leaving land seizure as the last resort.

In this regard, Yaracuy State governor Carlos Giménez explained that the 68 estates (with an approximate extension of 50,000 hectares) that are to be "rescued" belong to the state.

"The real situation in these estates is that there are people who are not the owners using the land. These invaders are harming the real peasants," Giménez said. "Some people are certainly going to claim that such plots are privately owned, but surveys we have conducted have found that they are state-owned lands, and we want to make them productive."

Translated by Maryflor Suárez