MARIELA LEON
EL UNIVERSAL

Center-west Portuguesa State governor Antonia Muñoz issued decree 940 to expedite the enforcement of the current Land and Agrarian Development Law regarding the use of agrarian idle lands, both state and privately owned.

The states of Cojedes, Monagas, and Yaracuy had previously issued land intervention decrees. Portuguesa State, however, issued a decree that did not provide for land intervention, but stressed it is Portuguesa State interest to "strengthen, cooperate and help the National Land Institute (INTI) achieve the goals set in the Land Law," in accordance with the guidelines of President Hugo Chávez' administration.

Under the decree, a committee to assess land tenure problems will be created. In the next three months, the taskforce is to present a report on the status of local tracts of lands and suggestions on the creation of local endogenous development plans.

Portuguesa State Governor's Office decree "undertakes to protect" any land devoted to agriculture and cattle-raising activities under production. It will "impose statutory penalties on any person who may resort to de facto situations, violence or any other illicit proceeding or who express their intent to invade rural lands."

Other states

Meanwhile, north-west Lara State governor Luis Reyes Reyes said the decrees other regional governors have issued to intervene non-productive state and private rural plots of land do not contradict the right to private property.

Reyes told state-run news agency Venpres that surveys have been conducted in Lara State to find ways to enhance production of sugar cane, vegetables, double purpose cattle raising and goat cattle raising.

In Lara, the first official moves to enforce the current Land Law may affect the municipalities of Torres (Carora), Morón (El Tocuyo) and Urdaneta (Sarare). So-called agriculture structure projects are to be implemented in these areas.

In addition, central-north Aragua State governor Didalco Bolívar ordered the creation of a special agrarian committee that is to collect data and keep a record of idle land, productive estates, and illegally occupied tracts.

In central-west Yaracuy State, the head of the land and alimentation department of the Governor's Office said a committee was created to enforce a local decree providing for land intervention. The official said the body is already operating.

In eastern Monagas State, a decree to seize 50,000 hectares is to be enforced by holding conciliation talks between local officials and alleged owners, Beltrán Trujillo Centeno, secretary of the Monagas State Governor's Office, told state-run news agency Venpres.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez