MARIELA LEÓN

EL UNIVERSAL

José Gregorio Briceño, governor of northeastern Monagas State, issued a decree to intervene more than 50,000 hectares of idle land in the region.

Sources at the regional government said Briceño on December 27 issued a decree whereby "Monagas State has become the second state (in Venezuela) -after Cojedes State- to follow the guidelines of President Hugo Chávez to tackle idle lands nationwide and improve their productivity."

In a press release, the Monagas State Governor's Office ensured that Briceño does not have plans to expropriate lands. The move, in accordance with the Venezuelan law, is intended to determine the status of state-owned estates with a view to enhance their productivity by using them to foster and implement endogenous development and food security programs, the press release added.
 
The decision is to affect the following plots of land: El Caruto estate, located in El Rincón de Monagas; Amana Abajo estate, located in sector Amana Abajo; Santa Rita estate, located in El Blanquero, La Abundancia and Guayabal estates in Santa Rita; Oro Negro and Las Palomas estates, located in Arenas de Orocual; Los Caritos estate, located in Boquerón de Tabasca, Libertador Municipality of Monagas State; La Argentina or El Merey estate, located in El Merey; CVG El Chispero estate, CVG Cabecera de Los Leones estate.

Other plots of lands affected by the move are CVG Monte Oscuro, CVG Los Leones; Cruz Hernández Quijada, Empresa Mandioca, located in El Rosario of the Libertador Municipality of Monagas State; Vázquez Succession, located in La Carata, in the Sotillo Municipality; Rojas Succession, located in Santa Bárbara de Sotillo; El Rosillo or Carnicero estate, located in El Rosillo de Maturín estate; Totumo or Potrero estate, located in Las Mesas de Punceres, in Piar Municipality; and Vía Caripe after El Guamo dam, in Caripe Municipality.

Concrete actions

Meanwhile, on January 8, a High Level Technical Committee created in Cojedes State to handle a land intervention decree issued by governor Johnny Yánez Rangel is to enforce a first intervention order against El Charcote estate, a British-owned plot of land.

Alexis Ortiz, Solicitor General of Cojedes States, said intervention means "using authority to solve a conflict." According to him, Cojedes is "facing many conflicts" resulting from a poor land distribution. A significant percentage of Cojedes State lands are currently under discussion as to their use, boundaries and tenure.

Once the land in Cojedes State has been redistributed, Ortiz added, this region will be more attractive for public and private investors willing to participate in endogenous development projects intended to ensure economic sustainability.

Regarding El Charcote estate specifically, authorities will have "to determine what belongs to whom and what lands are not productive."

Ortiz said that Tuesday they held a meeting with the representatives of El Charcote estate "and talks with Diana Dos Santos, from British company Agro Flora, were very friendly, but we did not reach an agreement. It is our intention, however, to hold talks without losing the principle of authority."

Ortiz insisted that the revolutionary process in Cojedes State is intended to "produce anything this state has the capability to produce."

Translated by Maryflor Suárez