Farmers' Movements Urge Venezuelan Government to Intervene and Safeguard Activists from Unlawful Persecution
Updated Article:
Caracas, June 23, 2025 (Our Platform) - Grassroots movements in Venezuela scream for government intervention to shield their leaders after the recent arrest and indictment of Lilibeth Rangel, an activist from La Fortuna estate in Zulia state. Rangel, a pivotal figure in the long-running struggle for a 350-hectare property, was arrested on Saturday and slapped with "trespassing" charges. The Small Farmers Movement (MPA) slammed the arrest as a "criminalization tactic" against grassroots leaders.
The MPA asserted that Rangel's arrest stems from a larger pattern of oppression targeting campesino leaders. In a potent statement, the organization called on the Venezuelan government, the Attorney General, and the Supreme Court to mediate and provide explanations for hundreds of campesinos that have faced criminalization or worse.
"We're stuck in the middle of a vicious cycle," MPA spokesperson Andrés Alayo told Venezuelanalysis. "We're being portrayed as the villains, even though we're merely fighting for what's rightfully ours." Alayo further mentioned that grassroots organizations will rally in the coming days to air their grievances to the Attorney General's Office and appeal for help from housing movements struggling with similar issues of evictions.
Local collectives have spoken out against the levying of "trespassing" charges as a means to criminalize grassroots leaders. They have long denounced the influence of landowners and cattle-ranching guilds over powerful judicial and security institutions.
Tensions have escalated since the approval of the 2001 Land Law, which set up procedures for rural families to claim abandoned land for farming. The influential landowners and cattle-ranchers have repeatedly grumbled about the law and demanded the removal of "trespassers."
In a recently reported incident in Barinas state, 28 campesinos were detained in a brush with a land dispute on June 12. A group of armed men stormed La Rubiera estate, forcefully detaining the group and later turning them over to the National Guard. Facing charges of trespassing, cattle theft, and incitement of hatred, these rural families have been farming idle lands for nearly five years and have been battling the Land Institute for land titles under the Land Law.
Rural families accuse Elpidio García, the local landowner, of swaying law enforcement to execute the violent operation and subvert the law. The struggle in La Rubiera has led to criminal charges against grassroots leaders and eviction attempts, with ongoing judicial processes underway.
In the broader context, this conflict exemplifies ongoing friction at the heart of Venezuela's rural communities, where campesino groups battle for the recognition and legal protection of their land rights against encroachment by private landowners.
Edited by José Luis Granados Ceja from Mexico City, Mexico.
Further Insights:
The growing unrest in Venezuela's countryside showcases the escalating conflict between campesino organizations and private landowners. Recent arrests of rural activists point to the continuing efforts by landowners and their associates to undermine campesino rights and suppress grassroots activism through criminalization tactics [1]. It's essential to focus on addressing these issues and upholding justice to prevent the escalation of conflicts and attain a peaceful resolution.
These events emphasize the need for the Maduro government to listen to campesino demands for protection from criminalization and violence. Ignoring their pleas could lead to increased tension, unrest, and possibly violent clashes in rural areas [1]. It's crucial for the government to take decisive action to ensure the safety and recognition of campesino rights and to hold accountable those implicated in attempts to undermine these rights.
In summary, the recent arrests in Barinas and wider dissent among campesino groups highlight the urgency for the Venezuelan government to address the crisis head-on. Failure to act decisively could foment further tension and conflict, threatening peace and stability in rural Venezuela.
[1] Source: La Tabla
- In the backdrop of ongoing war-and-conflicts in Venezuela's rural areas, there is a pressing need for policy-and-legislation that protects the rights of grassroots activists, such as the Small Farmers Movement, from criminalization and violent attacks.
- The ongoing struggle between campesino organizations and private landowners over land rights, highlighted by the recent arrests and incidents of violence, falls under the umbrella of general-news and crime-and-justice, requiring immediate attention from politics and the Venezuelan government.
