At the National Institute for Socialist Training and Education (Inces), Mission Ribas and the Institute on Prevention, Conditions and Environment in the Workplace (Inpsasel), the government gives military training to the workers willing to join workers' militias in corporations.

In 2004, the Military Inces was born under an agreement with the Ministry of Defense. It deals with armed forces members, but also with the general population, for the purposes of training and education within the framework of the new socialist production model.

For its part, Mission Ribas has lately developed military training courses for interested workers.

Also, Inpsasel, through its Education Administrative Office, is another State organization responsible for backing the setting-up of a socialist labor frame.

While military training is not included in the first stage, the courses stress the need to create a new model for workers, based on the socialist doctrine. Therefore, the crews are urged to fight against imperialism and capitalism.

The working militias have been ordered to take action in the event of foreign or domestic threats, and they are protected by several laws and other, upcoming standards.

The Law of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces establishes the "combatant bodies" to move forward in grassroots organization. They form part of the National Bolivarian Militia, a special corps of reservists of the national armed forces.

Further, in accordance with the Law on Conscription and Military Enrollment, public and private businesses should require potential employees to produce a certificate of their military registry or evidence of military service.

And in order to go ahead, one of the social property bills notes that workers should attend and complete military training in order to work in socialist companies.

All in all, there are so far 150,000 working militiamen in state-run strategic companies, as reported by Orlando Castillo, a member of the Workers' Socialist Front.
stejero@eluniversal.com

Translated by Conchita Delgado