The Greening of Venezuela

By David Raby

But the greening of Venezuela is not limited to the countryside: in the heart of Caracas, just behind the Hilton Hotel, an abandoned strip of land has been turned into an organopónico, an organic market garden for the intensive production of lettuces, tomatoes and an impressive variety of crops for the urban market. Unemployed people from nearby shanty-towns are given work here and trained as agricultural specialists.

Referendum and revolution in Venezuela

Derrick O'Keefe interviews Michael Lebowitz, Seven Oaks Magazine, July 5, 2004

I think a lot of the criticisms by the ‘New Left’ and by the old, abstract Left, don’t amount to much. You have to concretely look at what is happening in Venezuela; it doesn’t fit any models that we’ve seen before. I think the best way to get a sense of what Venezuela’s about is to look at the constitution. It’s an incredible constitution. The first thing I said when I read it was: ‘who wrote this?’ It basically talks about the need for focus on human development, developing human potential. It’s basically a focus on a profound democracy and struggles and activity from below. And social movements were key in doing that, and I understand that especially the women’s movement and the indigenous movement were most active in sort of shaping the character of that constitution. You look at that constitution, and you say ‘that’s different from any model that I know.’

Venezuela: A New Revolution in Latin America

By Ernesto Cardenal

The revolution is taking place in every area of social life. In neighborhoods, small villages and rural districts, they are creating community centers with free internet access for all, with libraries and areas for dance and theater. They are building stadiums and sports complexes, thousands of homes, and large blocks of low-rent apartments. They are issuing land titles, and supplying agricultural machinery, credit and technical support. Mission Barrio Adentro provides health services to people who didn’t have them before, including the indigenous tribes.