venezuela, reforms and the people speak

It seems I never enough time to sit down and blog.

I will write in point form as much as possible. The entire family shares the computer.
The 20 year old male in this household just went off Monday night to defend his masters thesis, so proud. Obviously without the reforms in education coming from literacy work strong and integrated with peoples liberation ideology. The primary health care is impressive .

Many reforms seem linked to and dependent on pressure from communal councils. in some areas these are very organized and strong and in some areas less so -so reforms being instituted in communities are very linked to strength of organizing in councils. For instance, in an area perhaps the most densely populated in Latin America in the hills we visited yesterday the councils pushed for funding from the state for a health clinic. The was much resistance from local opposition and bureaucrats, so the organizers found a space and occupied it until they got the space for the clinic, direct action is a tactic used often primarly by the women activists who are definitely in the lead at local level.

I Went to meeting yesterday where spokespersons elected of 20 community councils to speak to the mayor re many things promised and not done in the community. Big gaps between promises and actual work done and it seems that the community councils are the intermediary and pressure from them will determine to a large extent what gets carried through. Mayor not there but the pro Chavez media was there. It seems they are part of the denunciation and this is the word they use when reforms are not carried through. The media denounces the state and brings issues into the newspapers and then pressure is placed upon the bureaucrats. One woman very vocal re things not done. said " I do not care what you call it, socialism or communism- we need things done and they are not getting done."

There are big gaps and again very dependent on local community organizing.
The Cuban doctors are very impressive and the clinics are amazing. As a nurse I am impressed at the enthusiasm of the people for this elementary and basic care. Again though, the clinics are dependent on the strength of the community councils.

In some areas that are les organized the clinics and vaccination programs etc not so good.
Anyway so much more to say. I am going to spend the weekend in an indigenous community and then I hope off to the outlying areas and see the difference between the city and the provinces.

Visiting a worker occupied factory is still a big possibility, I hope so. Co-operatives are a big thing here and really promoted as an economic alternative.

Got to go-so much more to say but we are always on the run.