The bad news about Venezuela continues. The presentation of the report of the high commissioner of the United Nations Organization for human rights, Michelle Bachelet has been more than overwhelming and devastating. The report showed the historically important setback that the country has had in human rights. This adds to the variety of reports, analysis and collection of figures that month by month offer different ad-hoc observatories to quantify the damages in economic, social, educational, health, housing, infrastructure and more. These negative impacts are severely affecting the population and have put them on their knees due to very difficult circumstances.
In industrial and productive matters, the figures are also frightening. Around 80 percent of the country’s industries in twenty years have completely closed their operations according to Conindustria figures (Conindustria is the industrial portion of the Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce). The commercial sector is experiencing its worst set of years due to the progressive deterioration sponsored by hyperinflation and the regulatory policies of the State that ended up hitting formal trade severely to favor “bachaqueo” (reselling for a higher price) and mafias that do not pay taxes. Amongst all of this collapse it is obvious that Venezuela in general terms looks to be in a standstill and without a clear course of action but …
In Lara State in northwestern Venezuela there is a center that links various cooperatives together. It is named “Cecosesola” and was founded in 1968. This name is an acronym that translates into a Lara social service cooperative center. In 2018 they celebrated fifty years of tenacity and effort to serve the most vulnerable population in Lara. Cecosesola has links with cooperatives of agricultural producers and service providers not only within Lara but also in the states of Trujillo, Mérida, Táchira, Barinas, and others.
Cecosesola shows strength and experience in business. Cecosola integrates work in diverse sectors that range from producing food to providing health services and even funeral services. The strength of its operations is concentrated in the Iribarren Municipality, capital of the state. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary, the Gumilla Center developed a qualitative-quantitative investigation to determine the impacts that such a multi-activity cooperative model has had on the region. The findings were amazing.
Firstly, it should be emphasized that more than ninety percent of those consulted would be willing to defend Cecosesola if necessary. This is a special level of support unparalleled with any other organization of a similar nature. Additionally, positive assessment of services provided by Cecosesola exceeds 70 percent overall. This shows how the cooperative effort developed by Cecosesola has put “heart” into quality and efficiency in the care of its people.
Over forty percent of the population of the Iribarren Municipality purchases their basic food products at food fairs (food coops or farmers’ markets) scattered on all four sides of the city of Barquisimeto every weekend. This is an impressive figure. During the worst time for distribution and sale of food in the country, a cooperative center has been able to respond fully to the shortcomings and difficulties in the search for daily sustenance.
Cecosesola demonstrated and continues to demonstrate, now with a history that comprises fifty-one years, that its valuable men and women work hard every week under the concept of horizontal leadership and service values so that Venezuela does not stop. On the contrary, they wish to infect us with their collaborative and indomitable spirit.
Neither hyperinflation, nor electricity shortages, nor threats of food mafias, nor despair have been able to stop this beautiful human chain of solidarity that has become a model to replicate to overcome paralysis. In Venezuela there are many experiences that highlight and transcend the merely investment-based (rentier) economy that does not contribute to society, Cecosesola is one of them. There are data from the study, but, better yet, take a short trip through Lara State and visit the different consumer fairs that work from Thursday to Sunday. You will see thousands of Venezuelans orchestrating a country that does not stop, despite all of its troubles …
Piero Trepiccione is a political scientist specializing in social management. He is currently the general coordinator of the Gumilla Center in Lara State. He is a university pre-and postgraduate professor of political science and is an analyst of political and electoral trends, opinion columnist, and announcer and manager of radio broadcasts.
