While in other cities in Latin America the popular self-built neighborhoods are expelled and destroyed, in Venezuela they consolidate as spaces of resistance and organization that are now part of the urban tourist route, this is the case of La Lucha, in the parish of Sucre, our partner Paola Dragnic with the details. teleSUR
00:00In the heart of the city of Caracas, on one side of Romulo Gallegos Avenue, this arch begins La Lucha, a popular neighborhood, which far from being evicted by the government, today is part of the urban tourist route.
00:15Well, with the struggle of the people of the town, the few neighbors that were there I understand, because when I was born it was already there, not like that, but it was already done.
00:24With self-construction? Yes, self-construction. Each one built his own. Some put their things of zinc, others of cardboard, others of wood, and so on.
00:39In the 1950s dozens of families settled here, like thousands of neighborhoods throughout Latin America.
00:47Among others, my father was one of those who arrived in Well, everyone built their own little house, you know, but by the end, look at what we have achieved, there are some beautiful houses here.
01:04And alternating with businesses, warehouses and popular enterprises, the visitors can visit on their own, or together, with the street, leaders, who organize the neighbors.
01:12We are already having the title of the lands, thanks to our revolution, because it is really thanks to the revolution, that we have been receiving all these things, all these beautiful benefits.
01:28But also, thanks to mutual aid and popular organization.
01:33It helps the people, well, that is why we were helping, because this is a sovereign fish, the kilo of gold fish is worth four dollars, and in those other places you can get it for twelve dollars, thirteen dollars, and here it is for dollars.
01:50Well, the neighborhood is excellent, they buy, but it is on credit.
01:54It is not poverty, tourism, it is knowing how the Venezuelan people are resisting.
02:08It has served to unite the community.
02:10We are all happy.
02:14We are happy united because we know that what is coming is good for the improvement of the whole community and person.
02:19Among its small streets, there is Susana, at 106 years old, she is a living bastion of the recent history of Venezuela and a source of pride for her community.
02:34She was a worker, a person, and worked in family homes.
02:37Among them, I carry my President Chavez, that every day in the world I tell him when I am killed or die and God calls me, that my President Chavez goes with me in my coffin.
02:51Because he was a man that gave me a lot of advice, we all went out together in a van, all together to drink, with the propaganda and do all that.
02:59A socialist dream for which Susana has worked since she was young, and that today, with more than a century of life, can finally live in her own struggle, and that of all her neighbors.
03:15Jesus Romero and Paola Dracnik, Telesur, Venezuela.
