The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) has finally approved the land law reform bill.

According to the law, the National Lands Institute (INTI) has the faculty to order the elaboration of a technical report on recovering land and to dictate cautionary measures to secure the land. 

A controversial clause stipulates that illegal occupancy or illicit use of land with an agrarian vocation does not generate any right, which means that INTI is not obliged to compensate illegal occupants for improvements to properties.

As announced previously, the concept of landed estates (latitude) has changed ... the text says, "landed estates are understood as tenancy of idle or uncultivated lands in extensions greater than the average occupancy of the region where it is situated and within the framework of a regime contrary to social solidarity."

All in all, INTI has emerged with more power and the current conflict of powers between INTI and other State organs has been resolved.

• INTI has been confirmed as having the right to administer and make use of non-metallic minerals on properties under its jurisdiction.

The first opposition reaction has come from fiery Primero Justicia (PJ) deputy, Liliana Hernandez, who had faded away after the recall referendum fracas last year.

Hernandez now proclaims that according to the Bolivarian Constitution, peasants like producers have a right to property of the land.

Hernandez argues that INTI is Eliecer Otaiza and it is he who decides everything and states, "the peasant will never inherit land property ... the government says if the peasants gets the land, he will sell it to the landed gentry."

As for government cooperatives, Hernandez says they can't be very productive because milk imports are on the rise.

 
 Photography: Santiago Padilla