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I finally reached the main bone of contention in the land struggle in Barquisimeto, the Bureche farm owned by local oligarch, Eduardo Gomez Sigala, currently president of the National Chamber of Commerce & Services (Consecomercio) and by all accounts, opposition candidate for a seat in the next parliament.
On recovering Bureche farm, National lands Institute (INTI) officials faced an angry oligarch opposing what he calls the blatant invasion of private property. Officials countered stating that Gomez Sigala has had sufficient time to introduce papers since the decision to recover State lands did not come out of the blue.
Once the legal aspects were clarified, the Pedro Camejo mechanized company started clearing the land of old sugarcane and planting maize. According to INTI director, Juan Carlos Loyo, only five hectares of sugarcane on Gomez' spread was of any value and 8 hectares was being used for horse-grazing. There is no hacienda but rather stables for horses, a paddock for show jumping, a bowling square (bolas criollas), bar with barbecue, house for the foreman and enclosed shed at the entrance.
The Venezuelan Agrarian Corporation (CVA) has allowed one of Gomez Sigala's employees to remain on the site to feed, exercise and take care of the horses, each of which has a stable.
Pedro Camejo and CVA have placed their own militia members on the site for a week's training in drills and debates. Eduardo Gomez Sigala, considered head of the clan, has stated publicly that he will rescue the lands sooner rather than later ... whatever that means!
The nearby Papelon farm owned by relative, Jose Antonio Tamayo is in full view of the Rio Turbio sugar plant whose shareholders are all members of the big-names league in the valley. The village of Papelon is literally sandwiched in the middle of Tamayo's lands and only accessible by a public road.
What strikes one immediately in walking through the main street is why for all that is sacred and holy the houses are packed together and not spaced out given that the village is surrounded by fields?
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I mean, even streets in the barrios are wider for crying out loud!
It must be one of the contradictions in the still existent feudal set-up of country life, consisting of lords of the manor and peasants.
When I arrived at the recovered farm around 11 in the morning, there were people supposedly belonging to the militia playing dominoes and another group of militia sitting down in a shed and chatting ... two people from the village irrigating sorghum and two others on another plot taking care of black bean plants. The farms consists of 350 hectares, of which CVA is reforesting 19.5 hectares. When I asked about why there were so few workers, A CVA official showing us the farm explained that the idea is to create primary production units where there is no organized peasant group and he called the foreman to attention ordering an end to domino sessions and strict compliance with the agreed timetable. That is what I call immediate rectification.
Unlike the Ana Soto Zamoran farm in Bobare that has a tradition of struggle and organization, the different entities involved in the agrarian reform in quite a few areas have to start from scratch bringing in rural workers from other parts, while convincing fearful locals to join up and organize. Zamoran farms are set up where there are organized peasant and small farmer groups.
In Papelon village there is now an active communal council and Mercal government shop. I was told that a lot of the younger people sought work in the cities to avoid the drudgery and exploitation of the lord of the manor.
Hopefully, the new production plans for the valley will bring them back and I believe the government will offer more dignified housing arrangements since there are more families than houses in Papelon.
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