Prioritizing Citizens and Collective Living: Q&A with José Luis Sifontes

Rewritten Article:

José Luis Sifontes, well-known for his diverse roles, has been a teacher in Petare's working-class barrio, a key figure in El Maizal Commune, and now holds the position of vice minister, appointed by the Communes Minister, Angel Prado. In this interview, Sifontes discusses President Nicolás Maduro's new method of leadership, centered around the communes. He also touches upon the community consultation processes that have occurred recently.

Let's dive into the details of the Ministry of Communes' new initiative to rejuvenate the decision-making processes in communal assemblies as they were under Chavez.

Venezuela's communes and communal councils have been somewhat dormant in recent years, with declining activity and momentum. Many of their leaders and base members were inactive, due partly to the harsh economic climate, but also because of unproductive parallel structures that came into play.

For example, every communal council has a food committee, but shadow food committees, designated by the PSUV and unlinked to the communal councils, created conflicts at the local level, leading to the deactivation of numerous communal councils and communes. This, in turn, diminished the spirit of collective work that Chavez instilled in the communes.

At the Ministry of Communes, our primary mission is to reignite the passion in these assembly spaces.

Decision-making in a communal council or a commune can't be handled by just a few people. The goal is self-governance, for and by the people. To achieve this, we are working to reawaken the communal assembly, which is the highest decision-making body within a community. All of the Ministry of Communes' plans, according to President Nicolás Maduro's instructions, revolve around this objective. The people themselves must be making the decisions.

What precise strategies are being implemented to materialize this plan to revive communal assemblies?

We are traveling the country, organizing assemblies, and urging communities to reactivate the assembly processes, as well as the committees within each communal council.

In essence, there are 49,183 community councils in the country, and each has around 20 committees focusing on various tasks such as finances, sports, education, and healthcare. Let's consider the health committees as an example: every communal council has a health committee whose spokesperson partners with the people to identify and prioritize healthcare needs.

Stepping up to the next level: if a commune consists of ten communal councils, ten health committees gather to determine health-related issues in the commune as a whole and create a communal health plan, which must be debated and approved by the assembly. Finally, the health plan is executed in cooperation with the Ministry of Health at the commune level.

By allowing communities to identify their problems from the ground up, this process creates the commune's self-governance plan. As of now, we are in the phase of identifying requirements, systematizing them, and crafting self-government plans in each community council and commune. Ultimately, this will empower active participation to address problems and revive the assembly spirit that was so crucial to Chavez's vision for the communes.

Does this new method of governance that Maduro advocates for tie in with the communal assembly revitalization process you have described?

The president has urged his government team to create a fresh approach to governing, and he emphasized that it must involve the communes.

To illustrate this new approach, let's revisit the example of the health committees: If communal councils, communes, and clusters of communes collaborate to map out their healthcare needs, the whole process would change drastically. It would no longer be a distant, office-bound planning process controlled by the Ministry of Health.

Once the process of self-organization is complete, the Ministry of Health could create a national health plan based on the diagnoses made by the people within their community councils and communes. This isn't just an ideal; it's already being supported by the president and is called the Communal Health Plan.

Please clarify the purpose and operation of the National Popular Consultations, more commonly known as "communal consultations." There have been two rounds so far - April and August 2024 - and a third one is imminent. Can you elaborate on their purpose and functionality?

A commune is a group of people residing in a specific territory who view themselves as governing bodies and possess a collective plan. The purpose of these consultations, initiated by President Maduro, is to have communes identify their own priorities and needs. This process combines assemblies with voting – it's a wonderful exercise because it allows communities to imagine a brighter future while acknowledging that not all needs can be addressed immediately.

Here's how it functions: in a commune or communal district, each communal council proposes three projects with substantial impact on the community, ensuring that they address the needs of the commune as a whole, not just the specific communal council. The commune or communal district then selects seven projects in an assembly. On the day of the consultation, the community votes by secret ballot for one of the seven projects, with the chosen project being funded by the government.

You mentioned that both communes and communal districts participate in the consultation process. What are the differences between them?

As of now, Venezuela has 3,642 registered communes and 866 communal districts. Communal districts are groups of community councils that haven't registered as communes yet, either due to not completing the registration process or the Ministry's delay in registration. We are working diligently to address this issue, but until then, both communes and communal districts participate in the consultation process.

Could you provide some insights into the types of projects being chosen in the communal consultations?

Presently, most projects revolve around addressing issues related to basic services such as water, electricity, and road repairs. However, many communes are focusing on enhancing schools or healthcare centers, while others are fostering productive initiatives to benefit the community.

The discussion and planning process that accompanies the consultations is crucial in helping communities envision a better future and strengthen self-governance. Moreover, these consultations serve not just because funds are made available to tackle real problems, but because they encourage and fortify the process of self-government as well.

Despite the limited funding per project, is this a significant limitation?

Each project receives an equivalent of 10,000 USD, which admittedly is a small amount, considering the impact these projects should have on the thousands of people they aim to help. Certainly, we would prefer larger amounts of funding, but resources in our country are limited due to the US blockade.

However, by bypassing traditional institutional channels like municipal and regional-level governments, resources are being directed straight to the communes from the national government. This is part of the new governance model that President Maduro is spearheading.

These consultations are a step toward new governance in which the people are in control and make their own decisions. By respecting the will of the people, the national government is fortifying the process of communal self-government.

We are moving toward a unified system in which governance originates at the communal council level, proceeds to the commune, and finally culminates in communal cities shaped by genuine self-governance. But, as of now, only the paper version of 200 communal cities has been registered in the ministry. Authentic and functioning communal cities will emerge after communal councils unite to develop health plans, pool them at the commune level, and eventually combine multiple communes for the creation of collective governance projects at the city level. Only then will we witness the emergence of genuine communal cities with self-governance.

Once a project has been selected through a consultation process, is project implementation within the community easier?

Indeed, it is. The well-known issue with projects implemented by the bourgeois state is that resources allocated by the national government tend to diminish significantly due to inefficiencies, corruption, and commissions that are inherent to capitalistic logic. For example, if a project in Petare is approved, by the time the funds reach the barrio, the originally designated funds become a mere fraction of the initial investment.

On the other hand, when resources are granted directly to communes, the outcomes are entirely different. Communes consistently produce high-quality work. By comparing the results of a company contracted to paint a school with the outcomes when a commune undertakes the same task, you would almost always find that the commune completes the work at a lower cost and with better results. Companies, driven by profits, often compromise on materials and keep a significant portion of the funds for themselves. In contrast, communes invest in better materials and undertake the work with integrity. As a result, the state obtains far more value for its money when working with communes.

The consultations will play a crucial role in the new governance strategy Maduro has championed. Efficiency and continuous improvement of this process are essential.

What significant challenges were identified in the first two consultation rounds?

During the first consultation, a significant issue was that local and national state institutions had not collaborated actively in executing the projects together with the communes. For example, two-fifths of communes focused on water-related projects but institutions dealing with water issues at both local and national levels deemed these projects as low priority, with other agendas in mind. After recognizing this problem, the president mandated all relevant institutions to offer full support to communal projects.

A related issue surfaced after the April 2024 consultation, where we found that nearly 1,000 communes had not touched funds deposited in their accounts. Initial suspicions of issues within those communes were unfounded upon contacting them; it was revealed that over 80% were simply waiting for technical support. Without assistance, it's challenging to execute infrastructure projects like water or electricity.

From now on, every institution is required to work hand in hand with communes to develop solutions together. Additionally, the use of multiple phases to tackle projects is now an option to enable additional funding.

The consultations have brought significant changes to the relationship between the government and the people, with resources being directed more effectively. While resources remain limited, the impact has been considerable. Completing a wall to prevent a landslide, providing water to 500 families, or restoring electricity to a community in the dark for years – these projects truly make a difference.

We are still addressing some hurdles but are making progress.

The "Congress for the New Historical Bloc" is currently in motion. Can you tell us more about its role and significance?

The Congress forms part of the government's broader strategy and began with community councils holding assemblies to outline local projects and plans. These were then uploaded to the Ministry of Planning's system, which collects communal self-governance plans. eventual communal cities. But, the process isn't complete –many more plans are needed.

The second stage of the Congress occurs at the commune or communal district level, where each entity develops a comprehensive plan based on the community council plans and, once again, uploads a unified self-governance plan to the system.

The third stage, at the regional level, is on the horizon. During this stage, communes from each state will collaborate in large workgroups across various sectors. The final deliberation process at the national level will be tied directly to the needs of the people, providing a comprehensive awareness for institutions to craft their plans accordingly.

In essence, the Congress is designed to revolutionize governance, ensuring responsiveness to the needs of the people. From now on, institutions will no longer create plans in isolation.

HHaving emphasized the importance of robust reciprocity between popular power and the government, do you have any final thoughts on the topic?

Firstly, remember Chavez's "Strike at the Helm" discourse in October 2012. At that time, he even considered dissolving the Ministry of Communes, as he felt that other ministries had failed to support communal organization, viewing communes as the exclusive responsibility of the Ministry of Communes. The issue persists, but progress is being made.

Secondly, for years, there has been a discord between popular power and certain local authorities, who have tried to control popular power, exerting pressure that can tire grassroots movements. Party leaders and elected officials must recognize and support the communal organizations in their area. Grassroots representatives are legitimate because they are elected through participatory, free, and direct elections. Chavez's philosophy was about prioritizing the people; however, some still attempt to undermine or control communal bodies.

The Ministry of Communes' primary mission is to facilitate better communication and understanding between the communes and local authorities, ensuring there are no divisions within Chavismo. We are making headway in this endeavor. The commune is more than just another sector; it forms the foundation for the new communal state that Chavez envisioned. Our tireless efforts are aimed at making this new state – which will ultimately deliver the final blow to the bourgeois state – a reality.

Enrichment Data:

Venezuela's communal assemblies are being revitalized through structured electoral processes and institutional support as part of President Maduro's governance model. Key advancements include:

National Communal Elections - The April 27, 2025 elections involved more than 7,000 voting tables across Venezuela, allowing citizens to directly elect leaders of communal councils and circuits. These councils prioritize local projects (e.g., infrastructure, education) and secure immediate funding for their implementation.[4]
Training Programs - The government establishes training programs through the "planning school" and relevant ministries to educate communal representatives in self-governance, strengthening participatory democracy and facilitating the growth of "popular power" structures.[4]
Decentralized Decision-making - Communal assemblies serve as grassroots bodies where neighbors collectively determine priorities, reflecting the Bolivarian Revolution's emphasis on direct democracy.[2][4] This aligns with broader regional initiatives like ALBA-TCP's focus on social programs (e.g., literacy campaigns, healthcare) empowering local communities.[2][4]
Integration with State Institutions - The process integrates bottom-up governance with formal structures, exemplified by the Bank of ALBA, which funds social and productive projects without conditionalities – a model Venezuela participates in through regional alliances.[2] This system positions communal assemblies as central to policy execution, focusing on addressing hyper-local needs while upholding the ruling party's socialist framework.
The Ministry of Communes is revitalizing communal assemblies by reawakening the communal assembly, the highest decision-making body within a community, a crucial step towards self-governance, for and by the people.
With the national communal elections scheduled for April 27, 2025, citizens will directly elect leaders of communal councils and circuits, fostering immediate funding for local projects like infrastructure and education.
In 2024, communal consultations are being carried out, allowing communes to identify their own priorities and needs, followed by a national health plan being created based on the diagnoses made by the people within their community councils and communes, a significant shift in the governance model under President Maduro.