Thriving Collective Led by Women Under Chávez: Community in the Venezuelan Grasslands
From the Fertile Plains to a Sovereign Community
Abrannys Mendoza: In the heart of the Apure state, a women-led commune called Nacidos Para Vencer con Chávez (Born to Triumph with Chávez) stood up against centuries of patriarchal oppression. United by a shared vision, these formed the commencement of a new era—a bountiful, thriving community.
Back in 2015, seventeen communal councils gathered, inspired by late President Chávez's blueprint for a better future. Two communes emerged from these meetings – Los Herederos de Chávez and ours – and our community was officially registered in February 2017, under the name of Nacidos Para Vencer con Chávez. Seven communal councils came together, forming a harmonious conglomeration of over 2500 people.
The journey hasn't been easy, but the reward has been worth it. Today, we have grown into a well-organized collective that cultivates participatory decision-making and fosters a flourishing production, bolstered by unity.
Mairen Mendoza: With approximately 14,000 hectares of fertile land, our commune boasts a diverse range of agricultural produce. Raising double-purpose cattle, growing cereals, topocho, legumes, tubers, sugarcane, cocoa, onoto, turmeric, and more, our humble populace thrives from the land they inhabit.
Jessica Laya: A successful community is one that offers solutions that resonate with the people. In May 2017, shortly after we were officially registered, we reached out to the infamous "Plan de Siembra" (Sowing Plan) [government-run initiative to promote agricultural production] to sow 220 hectares of corn.
Mairen Mendoza: Building a commune is more than just a tangible project. It's about creating a shared identity, something deeply rooted in our symbolic practices. We come together to prepare, share, and celebrate, bridging the gap between neighbors. The communal sancochos (collective soup meals) provide a space for nurturing friendships and camaraderie, fostering empathy and love for each other and our land.
This is a commune run by women! Birthdays and holidays gain new meaning here as we celebrate our shared history and dreams. Nothing brings us closer than sharing stories and laughs, working together towards a brighter tomorrow.
Abrannys Mendoza: Living under the patriarchy meant being relegated to the kitchen. But the Bolivarian Revolution helmed a new beginning: no longer the mothers and wives enslaved by cooking and cleaning. We've stepped out of the kitchen, becoming leaders in our communes, and even in the Socialist party.
Still, our journey towards equality is far from complete. While women have gained a powerful voice, we continue to shoulder the burden of household chores. I eagerly anticipate the day when men and women share responsibilities equally.
Cultivating the Land in Trying Times
Mairen Mendoza: Proud as we may be of the land we've cultivated, there's still much to be accomplished. In this region, most of the arable land is privately owned by farmers. Yet, we've chosen camaraderie over competition, striving tirelessly to collaborate and improve our livelihoods.
Our most significant collaborative agricultural endeavor was the 2017 "Plan de Siembra." Working as one, we planted 220 hectares of corn and harvested 174 of them, yielding around 4500 kilos per hectare. That year marked our greatest triumph—yet also our toughest challenge. Hyperinflation drained our earnings as the value of the money vanished before our eyes, threatening to send our community into a crisis.
Since then, we have faced numerous obstacles in corn production, relying on loans from the private sector to lease essential farming equipment. But our resolve is unwavering: we know that the commune is the key to a prosperous future!
Breaking Free from Dependencies
Mairen Mendoza: Recent hurdles have forced us to reimagine alternative solutions to the crisis triggered by the embargo. One innovation shaping our future is our communal "seed bank," which seeks to empower us and secure our livelihoods. A group of farmers came together to launch a seed corn project, with hopes of producing quality seeds to sow 150 hectares across the commune.
Freddy Silva: The seed corn project occupies a hectare of my property, fostering a community effort to establish a robust, flood-resistant variety of corn: "Maquina" white corn strain. Our seeds don't require excessive fertilizer, pest-resistant, and adapt to our climate.
Our collective seed bank will grant us autonomy and stability. By sowing in May, we save on fertilizer expenses, as our soil is always ready for the seed.
Angelys Rivas: Legumes form an essential part of our commune's diet. This year alone, we produced 210 tons of beans to feed our community. Intermediaries heavily exploit our produce, so we've gone the extra mile to reduce our costs.
The artisanal dehulling machine, powered by a motorbike engine, processes 2000 kilograms of beans a day. Saving money while ensuring efficient production, we are immensely proud of our creation.
We also run a sugar mill that produces melcocha (sugar candy) and panela (unrefined sugar) for the community. Our machines are readily accessible on our land, founded on the values of community, cooperation, and determination.
Mairen Mendoza: Nacidos Para Vencer con Chávez, alongside six neighboring communes (Los Herederos de Chávez, Los Hijos de Chávez, Los Guerreros de la Patria, Las Colonias del Viento, Hermandad Moritense, and La Revolución en Progreso), are united under the Communal Economic Circuit. Together, we are increasing our productive capacity exponentially, forging a network of solidarity.
Building on our growth, we are forging a social property enterprise called "Los Soberanos." Intended to function as a bean-packaging plant, we'll work tirelessly to put our produce in the communal market, liberating ourselves from the exploitative clutches of intermediaries.
We've already secured a four-hectare plot for the facility, funded through the National Popular Consultation [May 2024]. Now, our primary focus is raising funds to erect the building and ensure its success.
Against All Odds
Mairen Mendoza: As the embargo hit us, our production saw a sharp decline. But the hammer blows of the embargo also birthed resilience, forging a closer bond with the earth and our fellow farmers. Fewer resources meant turning to the conucos (subsistence plots), and the diversification of our crops notably increased. We now cultivate over 20 different crops, with cheese production also booming.
Though we weren't immediately starved, we did lose weight. We took our time adjusting, but as we grew accustomed to the new normal, our spirits lifted.
Our "Casa de Alimentación" (Soup Kitchen), opened in 2018, feeds over 200 people, as poverty leave its bitter mark on our community. The government provides us with some basic necessities like rice, cornmeal, and pasta, which we keep in the Soup Kitchen and trade with local farmers for other produce.
Angelys Rivas: The embargo has struck at our very survival: petrol and diesel scarcity have disrupted production and distribution. As we run on diesel, any shortage echoes through the community, keeping us on the edge.
The consequences are far-reaching, affecting the health and well-being of the people. Whether someone is in need of medical attention, traveling to the hospital, or about to throw light upon the world, scarcities wreak havoc.
Access to medications has decreased drastically since the embargo began, causing an alarming rise in the number of families struggling to keep up with their healthcare needs. Unforgivable suffering has been inflicted upon us all these years.
Jessica Laya: Education has not been spared from the embargo's wrath, with deteriorating infrastructures strewn across our schools. Overburdened students and teachers struggle to learn and teach under the weight of the embargo's destruction. In some classrooms, students lack desks, chairs, and even electricity, forcing them to hunch over textbooks or use makeshift solutions.
School function in a limited capacity, with trips made on a three-day-per-week schedule due to fuel scarcities. And yet, schools remain open, igniting the flame of hope in our children.
Mairen Mendoza: The embargo has delivered untold terror across our land. The White House hungers for nothing more than to topple our government and crush our dreams.
But the embargo has also forged resilience and dedication within the hearts of the people. Commune-building is Chávez's legacy for Venezuela's poor, and no matter the challenges we face, the commune remains our beacon of hope.
Abrannys Mendoza: The Communard Union magnifies the light emitted by Chávez, providing a platform for us to maintain the legacy of our fallen leader. Though there is much work to be done, we remain steadfast in our belief, knowing the commune is the path to justice and unity.
The Communard Union, formed of dozens of communes, is primed to keep Chávez's project alive. When first introduced to us by Juan Fernandez of the Pancha Vásquez Commune, we were captivated by the potential of the Union. For a young woman, it served as an incredible catalyst for political growth, bridging the gap between my convictions and reality.
The Communard Union conducts leadership courses and workshops on communal feminism to foster an inclusive, equitable community. I am certain that the Communard Union will redefine the face of Bolivarian Socialism.
I recall a poignant lesson from one of our courses: we still live in a capitalist society. Some of my comrades protested, believing capitalism to be a thing of the past... but it isn't. It is a sad, hard truth that we must confront to conquer injustice and build a brighter future for the people of Venezuela.
- Abrannys Mendoza: Though our journey towards equality is far from complete, women in our commune, Nacidos Para Vencer con Chávez, have stepped out of the kitchen and become leaders, not just in the commune but also in the Socialist party.
- Mairen Mendoza: The Communard Union, formed of dozens of communes, holds a significant role in keeping the legacy of our fallen leader, President Chávez, alive. Through leadership courses and workshops on communal feminism, the Union aims to foster an inclusive, equitable community, redefining the face of Bolivarian Socialism.
- The Communal Economic Circuit, consisting of seven communes including Nacidos Para Vencer con Chávez, is collaboratively increasing their productive capacity exponentially. In a bid to liberate themselves from exploitative intermediaries, they are in the process of establishing a social property enterprise called "Los Soberanos," which aims to function as a bean-packaging plant in the communal market.
