Gov't seeks stronger State presence in Venezuelan economy

Just a few months before Venezuelan reelected President Hugo Chávez begins his next term in office, clear signals have been sent that further steps will be taken to deepen the socialist model in Venezuela.

As the executive has said, the Government's goal is to reinforce the presence of the State in the different sectors of Venezuelan economy. As soon as Juan Carlos Loyo was reappointed as minister of Agriculture and Lands, he stressed that he would continue the lands "recovery" policy currently in place.

"Going forward, continuing the lands recovery policy. Thus, it does not mean expropriation; it is recovery; it is about going back to the very beginning, to the lands of the people and the aborigines. However, this time we are incorporating efficient production and efficient trade. We do not want to see agriculture products or fish ending in the hands of speculators but in the hands of Venezuelan families," Loyo said recently after being appointed.

Although the Government has recovered nearly three million hectares in recent years, its lands recovery policy has not yielded positive results in terms of production. Despite such results the policy will continue.

Likewise, Minister of Housing and Habitat Ricardo Molina said last week that in compliance with the objectives of housing program Great Mission Housing Venezuela for the next six years, as many as 60,000 hectares would be required.

"We must continue finding, locating, selecting, and surveying the best plots of land, those that will allow us to find in no time a place for the homes we are about to build," Molina noted.

He outlined that from the start of the housing program in mid-2011, some 13,000 hectares have been seized and used to build 260,000 new dwellings.

Translated by Jhean Cabrera