GUSTAVO AZOCAR ALCALA
SPECIAL FOR EL UNIVERSAL

It is not a novel written by a renowned Mexican author. It is a real story. And it is happening right now, precisely in the place where President Hugo Chávez was born and grew up. There, in south-western Barinas state, the homeland of Zamora and Maisanta, at least 15 estates were squatted and occupied by peasants supported by army officers and  the National Lands Institute (INTI) officials, who, like neo-European settlers, took possession of thousand productive hectares as part of a so-called war against large estate.

Firstly it was Santa Rita, then El Miedo, afterwards La Marqueseña, Altamira ranch and even the grounds of the diocesan school. Peasants grouped in cooperatives have stormed into ranches, properties, estates and farms, claiming their right to use the land.

Barinas Ranchers' Association estimates that about 40,000 hectares of productive lands have been squatted over the last two years. Sort of "revolutionary mongoose" has ended in few weeks with huge plantations of corn, sorghum and grass that are significant to keep the levels of meat and dairy production.

Interestingly, most of the estates taken by the revolutionary cooperatives belong to individuals or families who do not back the "process." It seems that squatters are sensible enough. They do not occupy, for instance, La Chavera, property of the president's father. Also, they have not touched even a meter of the estate property of ex Minister of the Interior and Justice Ramón Rodríguez Chacín.

The Lone Rider
On February 14th, 2003, Barinas ex mayor Rogelio Peña was to celebrate Valentine's Day with his wife, when he received a telephone called informing that his farm Santa Rita, managed by him since 1996, had been seized by the army and four dozen farmers. Antonio Albarán, current Minister of Agriculture and Lands, then INTI regional director, led the move.

"Santa Rita estate was a real productive site. We had 1,400 dams, 700 animals, including calves, 80 horses, 140 pigs, 150 hectares of corn and sorghum, 1,400 hectares of artificial grass and teak plantations. The estate was an example for many other nearby producers," Peña said.

Barinas ex mayor tried to solve the situation in good terms. He spoke to the INTI director general, the army officers and even squatters; but he failed to persuade them. On February 24th, 2003, he took the legal way and filed a complaint before Barinas senior attorney Valmore Pérez, and asked him to investigate INTI director general Antonio Albarrán.

Third public prosecutor Mery Martínez was appointed to hear the case and file No. F3-215-03 was opened. But Albarrán was never subpoenaed. On October 16th, Peña went to the military attorney general office, because army officers had deployed in the property. On March 12th, 2003, he filed an action for infringement of fundamental rights and freedoms against Antonio Albarrán  and General Carlos Mata Figueroa, the Barinas garrison commander.

I have been stolen
"They just robbed my estate. They stormed into it without a court order, or filing administrative proceedings, or carrying out an inspection, that is, they violated all the rules, all the procedures, all the laws and even the Constitution. They did not even mind about submitting copies of the reports, or asking for deeds. Everything was in violation of the rule of law," Peña regretted.

"Robbery was to such an extent that on February 4th, 2004, a National Guard team headed by sub lieutenant Jackson Niño captured cattle that had been stolen from my property. Members of cooperative Brisas del Masparro, Abraham Burgos and Esteban Marino Ruiz Jara, were in possession of the cows. They were sent to Barinas sixth attorney general office, where they were released."

Additionally, Peña recalls, "in July 2004, lieutenant Nelson Omar Michelangelli Rivera, deployed in Santa Rita estate, was captured in the act with a herd of more than 100 stolen cows. Cattle  belonged to my neighbor Lisímaco Rubio." Again, "on July 11th, 2005, the members of cooperative Brisas del Masparro, who squatted in my estate, filed a complaint at the attorney general office against Alexander Tapia Corán, the cooperative president for gross swindle and misappropriation of USD 373,000 in loans granted by the Agricultural Fund."

Invoicing
El Miedo ranch is 45 minutes away from Barinas. It is a large extension of about 3,000 hectares. Since 1985, it has been property of the Torrealba Bastardos. Before December  2004, on El Miedo premises, a total of 5,872 cows, 200 sheep and 60 horses were counted. There were also 400 hectares of corn, 200 hectares of sorghum, 47 fenced paddocks with artificial grass, 9 ponds with fishes, and plantations of teak and eucalyptus.

"We had a fully productive estate," Thisbeth Bastardo de Torrealba, the wife of broadcaster Alí Torrealba, both of them owners of El Miedo, said. "Every square meter of the estate was being fully utilized. We had almost 6,000 animals in 3,000 hectares. It was the yield of twenty years of work."

Bastardo recalls that everything was going smoothly until December 18th, 2004, when INTI published in the local press a notice on an administrative proceeding against El Miedo ranch. Before that, nobody had told us that INTI was investigating into us. They never summoned the company or its representatives."

Attorneys of the Bastardos went to INTI. The officials just said that its was an administrative proceeding and a notice would be sent in due time. "We feared something wrong was going to happen. On January 6th, we requested an inspection from the regional legislative council. Deputies came, including some pro-government congresspersons, and found ongoing production at the estate."

Two days later, on January 8th, 2005, over 20 army officers along with 50 peasants seized El Miedo. "INTI officials told us that the estate was seized and prevented us from coming in the facilities."

Nevertheless, it seemed for a moment that things were going to improve. "We delivered the report of the inspection conducted by deputies, attesting to 98 percent of productivity in the estate. Governor Hugo de los Reyes Chávez learned about the situation and requested removal of INTI director, somebody named Márquez, as well as the legal counsel, attorney Patiño. We thought that the situation was to improve following dismissal of these two officials, but we were wrong."

On January 17th, 2005, despite the efforts of Governor Chávez, INTI ordered to grant agrarian deeds to 50 peasants who had occupied the grounds. "They torn down the fences, burned the corn and sorghum, stole the sheep and horses, spoiled the paddocks. About 200 hectares of sorghum ready to be harvested were destroyed. The estate was split into four cooperatives. Each one received almost 700 hectares of land."

"We were left 390 hectares out of 3,000. This is the less utilizable area. For recovery purposes, we planted 150 hectares. We are continuously threatened. A cooperative has told us that as soon as we collect the corn, they will squat in and take our lands once and for all."

The Torrealba Bastardos own other estates -El Tigre and Barrancoso. The former has 558 hectares and 1,500 cows. The latter has 1,300 hectares and 1,800 cows. They are also endangered.

"We made a vertical appeal before INTI, but nothing has been said. We filed an action for infringement of fundamental rights and freedoms. Again, no decision has been made. When we complained about INTI legal counsel Patiño's stance, he answered that we were being charged for being the owners of some local radio stations. We proposed INTI to grant a property of 2,000 hectares in Las Dantas. But they did not accept it because all they want is fully productive lands."

Translated by Conchita Delgado