Venezuelan communal councils

Structure

Communal councils are a group of elected persons from a self-defined residential neighbourhood of about 150 to 400 families in urban areas, or closer to 20 families in rural areas, and potentially 10 in indigenous communities. The principal decision making body of a communal council is the citizens' assembly. The formal functioning committee is composed of the following five units:

• Citizens' Assembly
• Executive Body
• Financial Management Unit
• Unit of Social Oversight (Anti-corruption)
• Community Coordination Collective All council persons are people within the community elected by the citizens' assembly for a period of 2 years. No person can occupy positions in more than one unit at time.

Unit of social oversight

The Unit of Social Oversight is a group of five community members elected by the Citizens' Assembly. They are an independent group who monitor and report on the application of council resources and activities towards the community development plan. They are also known as the Anti-corruption Unit.

Community Coordination Collective

The Community Coordination Collective (composed of one elected spokesperson from the Executive Body, Financial Management Unit & Anti-Corruption Unit respectively) is charged with galvanizing community organization, informing and training community members, and coordinating with the local militia reserves.

International

Communal councils circles exist in other countries and are widespread in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Canada

In a June 2014 publication by the Center for a Secure Free Society, it was stated that even though some of those circles in Canada had disbanded

United States

In the United States, there were about 15 circles throughout the United States in 2005. In an article by The Miami Herald, the circles were present in cities such as Cincinnati, Boston, Miami, Salt Lake City, Knoxville and Milwaukee, with the largest organization in Miami having about 185 members.

Present situation

Eight months after the law was passed, over 16,000 councils had already formed throughout the country. 12,000 of them had received funding for community projects – $1 billion total, out of a national budget of $53 billion. The councils had established nearly 300 communal banks, which have received $70 million for micro-loans.

As of March 2007 19,500 councils were registered. The law of Communal Councils was last reaffirmed and updated in November 2009.

References

References

1. (2018). "Venezuela: A Mafia State?". [[InSight Crime]].
2. Últimas Noticias (5 March 2007)[http://www.aporrea.org/poderpopular/n94588.html "Minpades registra 19 mil 500 consejos comunales"].
3. "Venezuelan Communal Councils".
4. (29 November 2006). "The Special Law on Communal Councils". [[Global Exchange]].
5. "Organo de Contraloria Social". Community Council "La Horqueta" San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela.
6. "Bolivarian Circles | Australia".
7. (21 November 2005). "Chávez builds base with grass-roots circles in U.S.".
8. Wynter, Coral & Jim McIlroy (2006) [http://www.greenleft.org.au/2006/693/35989 “Marta Harnecker: Venezuela's experiment in popular power,”] {{Webarchive. link. (2007-03-25 Green Left Weekly, issue #693, 6 December 2006.)
9. El Universal (2006) [http://buscador.eluniversal.com/2006/12/09/eco_art_104901.shtml “Fides entregó más de un billón para consejos comunales,”] El Universal, 6 December 2006.
10. link. (2006-12-25 Ultimas Noticias, November 11.)
11. Últimas Noticias 5 March 2007 [http://www.aporrea.org/poderpopular/n94588.html]>